By JBL’s own reckoning, the Summit Ama is the best standmounter it knows how to make. Let that sink in a little. JBL was founded back in 1946, and the decades of knowledge gained by making all sorts of speakers for use at home, in cinemas and concert venues, and for recording studios around the world, has led here. Few, if any, rival speaker manufacturers come close to this depth and breadth of experience

The Summit Ama is the smallest and only non-floorstanding option in JBL’s trio of Summit high-end speakers. All three are named after Himalayan mountains (the others are called the Summit Pumori and Summit Makalu). They all sit below the company’s well-established range-topping Everest DD67000 (£79,999 / $82,500) and K2 S9900 (£49,998 / $68,000) tower models in price and size.

Design & build

The Summit range’s technical highlight is undoubtedly the horn-loaded compression tweeter. JBL has decades of experience making such drivers, and the engineering in the D2815K unit used here in the Ama is impressive.

It uses dual 38mm annular Teonex diaphragms, two motor systems and is loaded by the company’s HDI (High Definition Imaging) horn.

The HDI horn is made of Sonoglass, a fibreglass-based material, and is carefully shaped to ensure that high frequencies disperse in a controlled way, both horizontally and vertically. The horn’s unusual profile also aims to reduce the distortions that are traditionally inherent in such designs.

Below the tweeter sits a 20cm triple-layer carbon fibre/cellulose hybrid composite mid/bass unit. This driver’s diaphragm sandwiches a closed-cell foam core between the carbon fibre/cellulose layers to achieve the balance of stiffness, low mass and internal damping that JBL’s engineers required.

The mid/bass’s motor system uses a ferrite magnet and has a cast aluminium chassis for rigidity. This driver is claimed to deliver high sound pressure levels with low distortion and good power handling. Its low-end output is tuned by a large, flared rear-facing port that sits just above the chunky set of biwire terminals on the back panel.

The Summit Ama’s two drivers are integrated by a carefully calibrated crossover network that swaps traditional large value capacitors for multiple smaller ones; a choice that reduces ESR ( internal resistance) and is claimed to result in lower distortion, increased power handling and better dynamics.

Physically, this JBL is a chunky design, standing almost 48cm tall and around 31cm wide. The cabinet depth is pretty substantial at 34cm, and when mounted on their dedicated supports, the speakers will certainly dominate in most typical small rooms in the UK.

Build quality is excellent. The Ama’s cabinets feel rock solid and nicely damped. They are substantial at just over 26kg each, so they need care in installation. There are two finish options, black or ebony veneer, both in high gloss. The overall effect may be a touch brutish for some tastes, but there is no denying the care taken in fit and finish.

Those aluminium stands are substantial affairs with twin pillars and isolating IsoAcoustics soft feet rather than the spikes we normally see. Some thought has been given to cable management to keep things tidy, which is something we wish more manufacturers would take seriously. The Summit Ama bolt onto the stand to keep things secure.

Compatibility

JBL quotes the Summit Ama’s sensitivity at 84dB/W/m and its nominal impedance as 4 ohms, which suggests that a high-quality amplifier with plenty of power is probably the way to go. Our experience reinforces this idea. We get great results with our 180-watt-per-channel Burmester 088/911 MkIII amplifier combination.

There is no point in spending so much on a pair of speakers if the partnering system is in any way compromised. Our sources are Naim’s ND555/555 PS DR music streamer and a Technics SL-1000R/Kiseki Purpleheart record player feeding the aforementioned Burmester pre/power or a PMC Cor high-end integrated. Cables are premium options from Chord Cables and Vertere Acoustics.

The Summit Ama prove relatively unfussy about positioning in our 3 x 7 x 5m (hwd) test room. They need a bit of space to breathe, so don’t be tempted to put them close to a wall or corner, as you’ll never really hear just how good they can sound.

After a bit of experimentation, we end up with them around 90cm into the room with just a little angling towards the listening position. It is worth taking some time to optimise the toe-in angle, as getting the best balance between solid stereo image focus and good soundstage width requires a little work.

Sound

Once properly set up, these speakers generate a huge sound that belies their relatively modest (by price standards) size. We are listening to 65daysofstatic’s Heat Death Infinity Splitter and are stunned by the wall of sound these JBLs produce. They sound bold and confident, generating a sense of solidity and authority that’s rare among high-end standmounters in our experience.

They sound earthy and physical, maybe lacking a touch of spaciousness some rivals produce, but compensating with a brawny, outgoing character that’s so easy to love. This muscular presentation is built on the foundations laid by the speaker’s weighty yet still pleasingly articulate bass performance. These standmounters delve deep and true at low frequencies, delivering a fullness and power in the bass that is unusual for a speaker of this size.

We find we’re listening much louder than usual. That’s because these JBLs retain their smoothness, refinement and composure even when pushed hard. Their highs may not be the sweetest we’ve heard, but there is no trace of unwanted tizz or edge, and the level of resolution is excellent.

Dynamics, both high and low level, are delivered with conviction. Not many alternatives are as good at resolving dynamic contrasts, and even fewer remain as interesting to listen to at low volumes. These JBL standmounts remain an entertaining proposition right down to whisper volumes, though it has to be said, they actively encourage the listener to turn the wick up.

All the work on optimising the horn shape works well. The Summit Ama’s sound remains surprisingly consistent as we move away from our main listening position. Their expansive imaging stays decently stable over an unusually wide listening area. We have no complaints about focus or the way these speakers layer the soundstage.

As we work through our most demanding test recordings (The Dark Knight OST by Hans Zimmer, Massive Attack’s Mezzanine and Stravinsky’s The Rite Of Spring), we can’t help but be impressed by the Summit Ama’s sonic unflappability. Their ability to retain control through the musical drama is excellent, as is the way they dig up so much information yet manage to organise it in a cohesive and musical way.

Tonally, we find they err on the side of richness; they sound pleasantly full-bodied and robust. This character trait gives voices and instruments an appealing palpability. We love the way they render instrumental textures and the skill with which they convey Nina Simone’s emotion in Sinnerman.

They are sure-footed rhythmically and convey musical momentum well. These speakers want you to have a good time with appropriate music, but feed them with Olafur Arnald’s Found Songs, and they are equally capable of getting introspective.

Verdict

The Summit Ama are one of the costliest standmounters we’ve ever reviewed, but their breadth of talents is hugely impressive. That they can rock should be no surprise to anyone familiar with the brand’s heritage, but it's their blend of insight, dynamic expression and finesse that marks them out as something special.

If you view your hi-fi as an analysis tool to dissect recording and production quality, there are alternatives which will serve you better. However, if you just want to have fun and get lost in the music, these JBL standmounters should be right at the top of your shopping list.

Review published: 20th April 2026

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Compatibility 4

MORE:

Read our ATC SCM 50 review

Also consider the Magico A1

Best speakers: budget to premium models tested by our expert reviewers

If you judge speakers on their technological content, then we doubt ProAc’s K3 would grab your attention. There are no space-age materials employed here or any sort of engineering masterclass that will have rivals scratching their heads to figure out what the speaker company has done.

These are essentially reasonably large two-way floorstanders with a rectangular wooden cabinet and downward-firing reflex port. Sure, they use a Kevlar cone in their mid/bass drivers and have a ribbon tweeter, but such things are pretty common, even at lower price points.

To truly appreciate the K3’s design, you have to look to the details and also recognise that this manufacturer, more than most, has a long tradition of turning out excellent speakers with what, from the outside, look like fairly humble ingredients.

Build & design

Take that wooden cabinet, for example. It’s a straightforward 107cm tall rectangular box, with not a hint of curves or rounding of edges. However, it is made of HDF (High Density Fibreboard) rather than the usual MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard) for greater rigidity, and carefully damped with bitumen panels to control resonances. The result is a rigid but well-controlled foundation for the drive units to work from. Not flashy, but highly effective at doing its job.

Then there is the wide range of lovely, high-quality finishes. ProAc offers five standard real wood veneer options (Black Ash, Mahogany, Cherry, Walnut and Oak) and a White Silk paint alternative. Should those not appeal, alternative luxurious choices, such as Liquidamber, Rosewood and Ebony, are available at extra cost. Regardless of the finish chosen, these speakers look understated but ever so classy.

Despite the use of three drive units, the ProAc K3 floorstander is a two-way design. The dual 16.5cm Kevlar mid/bass drivers work in parallel and are tuned by a downward-facing port. The port fires directly onto the speaker’s plinth, and the resultant low-frequency sound wave spreads evenly into the room. Using such a port design rather than the more typical rear-firing variety makes the K3 speakers less fussy about their proximity to a wall, and so allows them to be a little easier to place.

The ProAc ribbon tweeter is a well-proven design with a nicely machined faceplate, damped rear chamber (to absorb any rearward sound produced by the diaphragm) and, rather unusually, uses an Alnico magnet assembly (on performance grounds). We’ve heard this tweeter in other ProAc models, and it has always impressed with its high level of transparency, though it can be unforgiving with poor recordings.

Given the K3’s nominal 4 ohm impedance and ability to play loud, we would recommend driving it with a suitably powerful amplifier to make the most of its abilities. We use our usual Burmester 088/911 MkIII pre/power combo (180 watts per channel into 8 ohms) as well as PMC’s Cor integrated (95 watts per channel into 8 ohms) without issue.

The claimed sensitivity is an entirely reasonable 89dB/W/m, so even lower-powered amplifiers should be able to get good volume levels from these speakers, even if they don’t have the grunt to make the most of the ProAc’s impressive dynamic reach and scale.

Placement

When it comes to positioning, these speakers demand plenty of space to breathe. Our listening room is a fairly generous 3 x 7 x 5m (hwd) in size, and in this space, these towers work best well away from the walls and angled towards the listening position. The exact amount of toe-in will depend on how far apart the two speakers are from each other and their distance from the listening position, though we recommend starting with them crossing a little behind the sweet spot.

Also, try to ensure that you sit broadly with your ears at tweeter height, as too far above this robs a little clarity from the sound. Tilting the K3 back on their spikes can help in this matter. It is worth spending a little time optimising this aspect of their placement, as the benefits in terms of precision, focus and stereo imaging are obvious when you get it right.

Place the K3 too close to a wall and its generous low-frequency output can easily start to overpower the rest of the presentation. Get it right, and you should have properly powerful lows but delivered in a taut and tuneful manner.

Any good speaker at this level is going to be an open window to everything upstream in the system, so it makes sense not to cut corners with the source and partnering electronics. If there are any issues or a lack of balance further up the chain, these speakers are not shy about revealing such flaws.

Our sources are Naim’s ND555/555 PS DR music streamer and the Technics SL-1000R/Kiseki Purpleheart MC record player, feeding the aforementioned Burmester pre/power and PMC integrated. Our cables are premium options from Chord Company and Vertere Acoustics.

Sound

Those looking for tonal neutrality and outright analysis probably shouldn’t look here. It’s not that these speakers aren’t balanced or revealing, rather the K3 has a distinctive character; one that prioritises musical cohesion, dynamic expression and fluidity rather than encouraging the listener to dissect the recording.

Tonally, in our test room at least, both frequency extremes are slightly overstated. Not so much that the flavour of instruments is skewed significantly, but just enough to add a pleasing dose of low-end authority, a touch of sweetness and warmth to vocals, and a hint of extra liveliness generally. Importantly, none of this is done to excess. It just serves to pull the listener into the music and make the K3 a mighty engaging companion.

Position the speakers with care, and they can produce a wonderfully expansive and focused stereo image. We listen to an old favourite in the form of Hans Zimmer’s Interstellar OST, and can’t help but marvel at the depth and stability with which these speakers populate the soundstage.

They deliver the music’s large-scale dynamic shifts with real heft, sounding impressively powerful. Given a suitable amplifier, high volume levels are no issue with the ProAc sounding reassuringly composed and controlled when pushed. Refreshingly, they shine at lower volume levels too, ideal for those late-night listening sessions when you don’t want to disturb others in the house.

As we work our way through our music collection, taking in Major Lazer, Eminem, The Unthanks and Erik Satie, it becomes clear that these floorstanders are something of a musical chameleon. They deliver Major Lazer’s Pon de Floor with breathtaking energy and drive; the music’s low frequencies punch through with venom. That degree of low-end emphasis we mentioned earlier doesn’t stop basslines from sounding articulate and well integrated.

Rhythmically, we have no complaints. These towers are great at communicating rhythmic drive and equally impressive at conveying the changes in musical momentum.

Eminem’s Recovery is a slightly thin and hard recording, and the ProAc speakers make that clear. Yet, look past that and they do a lovely job with Eminem’s rapid-fire vocals, reproducing them with pleasing body and making it easy to understand the emotion behind his lyrics.

Despite doing all the muscular stuff well, the K3 never forget that finesse is equally important. Whether we listen to Satie’s Gymnopédie No.2 or Mount The Air by The Unthanks, we sit back and marvel at this speaker’s ability to deal with the subtleties.

When the music demands, the K3 does delicacy as well as anything we’ve heard at this level; a slight change of intensity in a voice or instrument that makes an emotional impact or the slow decay of a piano note, these ProAc deliver it with skill.

Verdict

At times, like all the very best hi-fi, these speakers make us forget that we’re listening to a mere recording and transport us to the studio. We can’t give them a higher compliment than that.

The ProAc K3 floorstanders are wonderfully musical performers. Give them the care and attention they deserve, and they will treat you to a performance that will charm and entertain like few others can manage.

Review published: 9th January 2026

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Compatibility 4

MORE:

Read our review of the ATC SCM50

Also consider Audiovector's R3 Arreté

Best floorstanding speakers: budget to premium models tested by our experts

Do you remember that feeling when you've just got the house decorated for Christmas?

Wreaths on the door? Lights on the tree? Maybe you've even got a projector for your exterior lights?

Chances are you've got some form of festive lighting up in your household – and they might even be the first thing that springs to mind when you hear the phrase 'Christmas decorations'.

So, if the rest of your living room is already adorned with decorations and glistening lights, why should the centrepiece – your TV setup, of course – be left bare?

I recently wrote about my experiences of adding an LED lightstrip to my TV, and how, in certain situations, it can transform movie-watching into an immensely immersive experience.

Having tried out the Govee TV Backlight 3 Pro over the festive period, however, I'm convinced that Christmas is one of those situations where LED light strips and the similar Ambilight technology excels.

If you're watching TV with your Christmas tree lights on and various other ornaments and decorations twinkling in the background, light pollution is hardly a new issue – if anything, it helps keep your attention rightfully focused on your TV, and not any dancing Santas or light-up snowglobes you have dotted around.

While purists might understandably want a blacked-out room to watch more serious films, the light-hearted fare we tend to watch at Christmas time demands no such treatment. Most Christmas movies and TV specials are designed to be watched semi-comatose on the sofa with a belly full of turkey, and mulled wine in hand. And light strips, if anything, may ease the impact on your sleepy eyes from the high brightness of modern TVs.

The bright colours of Christmas fare also lend themselves well to an LED light strip or Ambilight. Snowy scenes such as the North Pole in Elf or the opening of Man Vs Baby fill the whole room with a dazzling white light, and given the amount of decorations and lights featured in these films, the TV comparatively looks a bit bare if you turn the light strips off. Even the now festive offering of Stranger Things benefits well from the light syncing, with my entire living room transported to the Upside Down thanks to a satisfying red hue.

The Govee app also offers several light options beyond syncing to your screen, such as allowing the strip to function as de facto Christmas lights when your TV is not in use. There are several options available – you can create your own light show, choose from built-in Christmas presets, search community-made effects or even ask AI to create a light sequence from your prompt. It can be a bit much to have on regularly, but it does make for a nice light display in a darkened room.

There is, of course, a chance of overstimulation here, given all the other Christmas knick-knacks, and during daytime ambient lighting the light strips are still fighting a losing battle.

But at the time of year when we all cosy up in front of the sofa and stick up lights all over our house and various flora, adding some to the TV also makes perfect sense. LED light strips are not always effective in every situation – but Christmas is certainly the time for the technology to, well… shine.

MORE:

Read our Philips OLED909 review

And our Philips OLED809 review

Check out our picks for the best TVs

Scour the pages of this website and you’ll find that we have reviewed our fair share of five-star floorstanding speakers, with the cream of the crop being available to view on our best floorstanding speakers buying guide.

If you have enough space for a pair of towers, you’ll be suitably rewarded with a bigger sense of scale, weightier bass and more dynamic scale compared with their smaller bookshelf siblings.

With our latest entry into our floorstanding speakers buying guide, we think we have found a pair that not only sounds sensational enough to replace another five-star model, but also brings some added flexibility.

The PMC Prophecy 7 have bumped the Wharfedale Evo 4.4 to ‘also consider’ status in the guide, and are now our pick of the ‘best high-end’ floorstanders.

We’ll get to sound quality in a second (spoiler alert: they sound superb), but there’s another string to the PMC’s bow in that they are relatively compact and unobtrusive.

As we say in our PMC Prophecy 7 review, “At less than a metre high and barely wider than a CD in width, these are about as unobtrusive a pair of high-end floorstanders as we’ve come across.” Not bad for a true three-way design.

If you have a modest listening space, we think the PMCs could slip in pretty effortlessly.

They look interesting, too – and not just because of their dimensions. They use a 55mm midrange dome, which uses a novel-looking petal-shaped waveguide which helps with sound dispersion.

This driver is sandwiched between a 27mm soft-dome tweeter and a petite 12.5cm woofer.

Helping with low-frequency performance is PMC’s transmission line, which takes the rear-firing sound of the bass driver and absorbs all but the lowest frequencies. They then pass out of the speaker through a vent at the bottom of the front panel.

It’s a technology PMC has been using from the start, and it’s as effective as ever here. As we say in our review, “They produce the most satisfying balance between bass weight, articulation and stereo imaging.”

They produce an exceptionally spacious soundstage with an impressive layering of detail. The integration between the drivers is superb, and the sense of fun and enthusiasm they deliver together is second to none at this level.

Sure, you can get a bigger-scale sound from bigger floorstanders, but they won’t be anywhere near as flexible when it comes to fitting into more normal-sized spaces. The PMC Prophecy 7 are very special floorstanders indeed and well worthy of inclusion in our buying guide.

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Read our full PMC Prophecy 7 review

Our pick of the best stereo speakers you can buy

This terrific, traditional vinyl system celebrates the best of British hi-fi

McIntosh has announced its latest powered subwoofer, the PS1K, which is set to deliver "unmatched bass precision and power". This specialist sub has been designed for audiophiles and home cinema purists who have an unwavering dedication to bass and pockets deeper than their desired frequencies.

The PS1K features two 13-inch McIntosh-designed drivers which use the company's proprietary Low Distortion High Performance (LD/HP) Magnetic Circuit Design. McIntosh claims that his unique structure can reduce distortion and improve power handling, while the multi-layer carbon fibre cones resist flex even at high outputs. which should result in superior clarity and rigidity.

These drivers are powered by dual 500-watt Class D amplifiers, which output a staggering combined 1000 watts of power. McIntosh promises clear, tight and room-filling bass for music and movies alike, while the sealed box design and 1.5-inch thick enclosure baffle should supposedly eliminate port noise and vibration. McIntosh has blended form and function in this regard, with a sleek high-gloss black finish, carbon trim and aluminium base to ensure the PS1K looks as good as it sounds.

Furthermore, McIntosh has included its Power Guard and Sentry Monitor technologies are built in to protect the sub from power surges; ensuring the PS1K has a long lifespan with reliable performance.

That's particularly good news considering the price of this sub; trust us when we say you'll want it to last a long time. The PS1K goes on sale later this month for a whopping £35,995 / $35,000 (around AU$70,200), so you better decide if you really need that new car or if your home cinema speaker system could do with an upgrade.

MORE:

Here are our picks for the best home cinema speaker systems

Check out our pick for the best subwoofers

Interested in more McIntosh home cinema gear? Check out the MHT300 AV receiver

Spatial audio could be a feature of your next Android phone. At its annual Snapdragon Summit today, Qualcomm announced its next-generation flagship chip, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and a standout feature of that platform's updated Snapdragon Sound package is spatial audio with head-tracking.

Spatial audio is essentially a 3D audio technology that aims to make the audio of films, music and games more immersive, predominantly through headphones. It ‘spatialises’ the sound, delivering a 360-degree soundscape into which effects are placed, while the ‘dynamic’ part refers to its ability to ‘track’ and adapt the audio as you move your head.

Apple began offering its own 'Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking' through its devices and AirPods and Beats headphones earlier this year, and thanks to Qualcomm’s just-announced 8 Gen 2 platform, a variant of the technology will be available on the 2023 phones that use it.

We have been impressed with the Apple spatial audio experiences we’ve had – not least with movies. We have described it as “...stunningly effective, with voices coming from all round you, and it's predictably impossible for a stereo setup to recreate”. “It’s a much more claustrophobic and affecting experience with spatial audio activated,” we said in our AirPods 3 review. We continued: “as we move our head to the right the soundscape tilts towards the left earbud – subtly but effectively.”

So presuming spatial audio on Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is just as effective, Android users can very much look forward to it.

Snapdragon Sound on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip isn’t just getting an update to deliver dynamic spatial audio, though. Part of Snapdragon Sound is support for aptX Lossless, which allows for truly lossless Bluetooth transmission at 16-bit/44.1kHz (CD quality) – and now Qualcomm is expanding that to 48kHz. Importantly, it is also bringing lossless transmission to the Bluetooth Low Energy standard (previously it only supported Bluetooth Classic).

And lastly, Qualcomm has also reduced Bluetooth latency to 48 milliseconds so that the time between seeing the action on your (compatible) phone and hearing it through your (compatible) earbuds will be effectively unnoticeable.

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Apple’s Spatial Audio is a music revolution, but try it without the headphones

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A new, lighter version of the PS5 has gone on sale in Australia. This new version has only a couple of subtle production tweaks, doesn't offer any new features, and sadly it won't be any easier to find on our where to buy a PS5 page.

So what's new? As spotted by Press-Start, it has a new model number (CFI-1102A), and, as we reported last month when the device was spotted in Japan, it's lighter than the previous model by 300g. There's also a new screw attaching the console to the base stand – while previously this required a screwdriver, now it can be tightened and loosened by hand.

These tweaks might make the console easier to produce, but they won't fix the production issues that have plagued the console since launch. These have been mostly caused by a global chip shortage – something that has also hit its rival, the Xbox Series X, as well as other consumer electronics like smartphones and tablets. This new model uses the same internal components as its predecessor, so expect supply issues to persist for the foreseeable.

Sony is rumoured to be working on a fully redesigned PS5 to launch next year, which could be called the PS5 Pro. This is said to feature a semi-customised chip made by AMD which should – hopefully – put an end to these production woes once and for all.

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Looking for a console? Here's where to buy a PS5

Which PS5 console is for you? PS5 vs PS5 Digital Edition

Our pick of the best gaming TVs

It took a few years to gain momentum, but 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray is now a firm fixture of virtually all major film releases.

The first 4K TVs went on sale back in 2012, but it wasn't until 2016 that the first 4K Blu-ray players from Samsung and Panasonic went on sale - alongside, thankfully, an increasing number of 4K Blu-ray discs. Today there are a number of 4K players on the market, you can pick up a 4K Blu-ray film in your local supermarket or online and, as streaming services step up to compete with 4K content, both are getting more affordable by the day.

So what is Ultra HD Blu-ray, how can you get it and how much does it all cost? Allow us to provide some answers...

• Best 4K Blu-ray players

What is the Ultra HD Blu-ray specification?

The preliminary spec for 4K discs was revealed at CES 2015, after which the Blu-ray Disc Association made the Ultra HD Blu-ray spec official (along with the name and the logo).

This format supports a resolution of 3840 x 2160, and while the specification is no guarantee that a film was actually shot and edited in 4K it does also offer additional technologies that improve picture quality such as higher frame rates of up to 60fps (frames per second) and high dynamic range (HDR). In physical media, HDR is currently delivered in three main formats: HDR10, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision HDR.

The majority of 4K discs come with the standard HDR10. What sets Dolby Vision and HDR10+ apart from HDR10 is the inclusion of dynamic metadata, a proprietary HDR technology that adapts its image frame-by-frame and, theoretically, renders each shot at its best. And what sets HDR10+ apart from Dolby Vision is its lack of licensing cost – TV manufacturers and content studios have to pay Dolby to use Dolby Vision and have little control over its development and implementation.

Initially, HDR10+ had only Amazon Prime Video promising supported content on its streaming site, and although Amazon remains the only major VOD service to offer it, more and more 4K discs in HDR10+ have made their way to market. Nevertheless, it's fair to say that Dolby Vision is comfortably the more widely available of the two formats.

• HDR10 vs Dolby Vision - which is better?

4K Blu-rays are encoded using the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard (also known as H.265), use 10-bit colour depth and can cover the full spectrum of the Rec.2020 colour space. 

The discs themselves can be produced in three sizes: 50GB with support for an 82Mbit/s data rate, 66GB with 108Mbit/s and 100GB with 128Mbit/s.

What about Ultra HD Blu-ray audio?

The UHD Blu-ray specification also includes object-based immersive soundtracks such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Some Blu-ray discs already support these formats, so it's not unique to UHD Blu-ray, but the next-gen audio soundtracks are more prevalent on Ultra HD Blu-ray discs.

So far Dolby Atmos has been the prevalent format on 4K disc releases, but DTS:X discs do exist. It's worth noting you won't find Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks on the same disc. It's one or the other.

What else does Ultra HD Blu-ray offer?

4K discs also support an optional digital bridge feature, allowing you to copy Ultra HD Blu-ray content to an external hard disk drive and portable devices such as smartphones and tablets.

The spec also mandates all Ultra HD Blu-ray players be able to play legacy Blu-ray discs. Sadly, 3D isn't featured in the Ultra HD Blu-ray spec – but with the majority of TV manufacturers having abandoned 3D ages ago, that's understandable.

OPINION: Here's why 4K Blu-ray is even better than 4K streaming

What Ultra HD Blu-ray players are on sale?

Current UHD Blu-ray players can be sorted into two categories: the under-£400 (affordable) models and the £600-and-above (high-end) players.

The Panasonic DP-UB9000 is the high-end Blu-ray player of choice these days (we're also big fans of the Pioneer UDP-LX500 and Oppo UDP-203, but both have now been discontinued), and it's a serious bit of kit that's worthy of its £900 ($1000, AU$1799) asking price, delivering a picture and sound performance that's well beyond that of its more affordable rivals.

Those more affordable models still offer an excellent performance, though, delivering quality that streaming services simply can't match. Our current favourites include the Sony UBP-X700 and Panasonic DP-UB820EB.

Other budget models from Panasonic and LG do exist, though new models are now released fairly infrequently. Moreover, Samsung dropped a bombshell in February 2019 by confirming it would end Blu-ray player production entirely.

• What Hi-Fi? Awards 2020: Blu-ray players

On the games console front, Microsoft's Xbox One S was the first console to be compatible with 4K Blu-rays, though be warned, it's not quite up to scratch compared to rival standalone players.

The Xbox One X also incorporates a UHD Blu-ray disc player with native 4K, HDR and Dolby Atmos support. It’s pricier, has a more powerful processor to handle 4K gaming and, while dedicated players still win out, is an entertaining performer with 4K HDR discs.

The latest console from Microsoft, the Xbox Series X, also plays 4K Blu-rays but without Dolby Vision support despite the format being available via streaming apps (there'll be Dolby Vision games soon, too). That major disappointment, combined with its noisy disc drive, dents the Series X’s credentials as a 4K Blu-ray player – which is a shame because the picture performance is broadly good, with lots of detail, nicely judged colours and sharp edges.

As for the PS4 Pro and PS5? Surprisingly, Sony chose not to give the former the capability, focusing instead on 4K streaming. However, the PS5 does play 4K discs – though once again without Dolby Vision. While the picture is impressive in terms of deep blacks, drama, dynamism and colours it isn't really a match for even the most affordable dedicated 4K Blu-ray players when it comes to subtlety of shading and stability in motion.

• PS5 vs Xbox Series X: specs, power, features, pricing and controllers compared

What Ultra HD Blu-ray discs are on sale?

Ultra HD Blu-ray discs are now on sale worldwide, with major studios such as 20th Century Fox, Sony Pictures and Warner Bros all in on the action.

Disney joined the ranks in 2017 with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as its first 4K disc release (and still one of our most-used test discs) before following up with Thor: Ragnarok in 2018.

The likes of Amazon, HMV and Zavvi all stock loads of Ultra HD Blu-ray releases, with the average price of a 4K disc around £20.

Will Ultra HD Blu-ray players play existing Blu-rays?

Yes, Ultra HD Blu-ray players are fully backwards-compatible with existing Blu-rays. Ultra HD Blu-ray discs won't play on old players, though, and you can't upgrade old decks, so you will need a 4K Blu-ray player in order to play 4K Blu-ray discs.

When it comes to regional restrictions, the good news is 4K Blu-ray discs have just one region code: worldwide. Essentially, they’re region-free. They can be played on any 4K player, in any part of the world.

However, your new UHD Blu-ray player will still have to observe the regional restrictions for DVDs and standard Blu-rays that continue to exist.

Most 4K Blu-ray discs come bundled with a standard Blu-ray version of the same film and those discs tend to be region-free as well. Search for the 'ABC' logo or read the fine print on the box, or look it up online to be sure – especially if you're thinking of importing the latest discs from outside your region.

However, it very much depends on the studio that owns the rights and the distribution of individual films as to whether a Blu-ray has region restrictions or not. We've noticed the major film studios (20th Century Fox, Sony and Warner Bros) have released their Blu-rays as region-free, but smaller studios are more likely to have restrictions.

• Best Blu-player deals, cheap Blu-ray discs and 4K film bargains

What TV do you need for Ultra HD Blu-ray?

An Ultra HD Blu-ray player will work with pretty much any TV, but unless it's a 4K Ultra HD TV you won't see the disc's full-fat 4K resolution on screen. If your TV doesn't support it, the player will downscale the disc's content accordingly.

Any 4K TV should deliver a 4K picture, but only TVs with more recent specs will be able to take full advantage of what Ultra HD Blu-rays can offer. This includes HDR, which is one of the key factors for getting the best possible picture.

Most - if not all - 4K TVs on sale now support the standard HDR10 spec. When it comes to Dolby Vision and HDR10+, it depends on which manufacturer has backed which tech. LG and Sony are all in on Dolby Vision, with no HDR10+ TVs in their lineups, while Samsung is the opposite – all HDR10+ and no Dolby Vision.

Higher end models from Panasonic and Philips support Dolby Vision and HDR10+, which is great news for those who don't want to pick a side in this particular format war.

While 4K and HDR (or Dolby Vision) aren't necessarily linked technologies, if you're looking for a TV with one, it should ideally have the other in order to get the best picture performance.

Look also for a TV bearing the Ultra HD Premium logo - this means it meets certain 4K HDR standards, including support for standard HDR10. However, it doesn't mean the set necessarily supports Dolby Vision HDR.

• Best 4K TVs 2021

Do you need a new AV receiver for Ultra HD Blu-ray?

Yes and no. If your system currently uses an AV receiver to do the HDMI switching, and carry audio/video over HDMI around your system, then this won't work with 4K Blu-ray unless your AV receiver is 4K-compatible.

The good news is most, if not all home cinema amplifiers in the market now are 4K compatible, including the excellent Denon AVR-X2700H and Sony STR-DN1080. Look for HDCP 2.2 and HDMI 2.0a (or HDMI 2.1) in the specifications for a clear indication of 4K compatibility.

Some higher end 4K Blu-ray players have two HDMI outputs so that video can be sent via one to the TV and audio can be sent to an AVR via the other. Alternatively, you can send video and audio from a 4K Blu-ray player straight to your TV and then have the audio sent from the TV to your AVR via optical cable or HDMI ARC.

Is Ultra HD Blu-ray worth it?

We certainly think so. It may be an increasingly niche market but 4K Blu-ray continues to impress us with its incredibly detailed picture quality, and better hardware and advances in HDR technology have improved performance even further.

Ron Martin, VP of Panasonic's Hollywood Lab and a crucial player in the development of Ultra HD Blu-ray, told What Hi-Fi? 4K discs will beat 4K streaming: "[a disc format] is the only repeatable, reliable way to do it. Streaming has certain advantages but many disadvantages."

We've compared how 4K streaming stacks up against 4K Blu-rays and standard full HD Blu-rays - and it's no surprise that 4K Blu-ray beats them all.

What about 8K Blu-ray?

You shouldn't hold your breath for 8K Blu-ray players or 8K Blu-ray discs. While 4K Blu-ray has proven fairly popular and will likely stick around for a long time to come, it's still a drop in the ocean compared to the popularity of streaming and we can't see a future in which any company is prepared to invest the huge sums of money into a new physical movie format when the war is so clearly already lost.

Given the inherent qualitative advantages of physical formats, that's certainly a shame, but with internet connections generally becoming exponentially faster with each year that passes, there's plenty of hope for higher quality movie streaming. Sony's new Bravia Core service, while not 8K, delivers streams in far higher quality than any service before it, potentially pointing the way to a future in which physical media isn't necessary in order to get the best picture and sound.

MORE:

The best 4K TV shows and films to watch right now

These are the best 4K Blu-ray discs to test your system

Check out our round-up of the best TVs you can buy right now

Get the sound right with one of the best AV receivers

Finally, here are the best 4K Blu-ray players

Despite investing only in five-star hi-fi components as featured in this publication (well done on that, by the way) do you ever wonder whether the prized product you've just bought will partner up perfectly with what you already own? 

Fret not. The latest issue of What Hi-Fi? – on newsstands today – is all about compatibility. We've removed the guesswork to make tinkering with your system both a joy and a pleasure, all achieved while perusing the best analogue and digital combinations currently on the market.

But before we go any further, there's a stonking subscription offer going live right now. This promo deal gives you a year's worth of What Hi-Fi? (that's 13 print issues, including the coveted What Hi-Fi? Awards edition) plus a free Native Union Eclipse three-way USB charger (worth £65!) all for just £47. 

To save you the work, allow us: it's a total saving of £82 on the magazine newsstand and charger retail price. And you don't need mathematics to work out that it's also a top gift to give yourself or someone you love.

You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition. 

And Sonos built the Arc

Our in-depth First Tests section this month offers a first look at no fewer than seven hi-fi, personal listening or home cinema products – and when we say first look, we mean a thorough test over a number of days, including a no holds barred review and carefully compiled star ratings. 

This month, we'll kick off with the Sonos Arc – "a soundbar of rare quality" – as well as Technics' first shot at true wireless earbuds, an iconic-looking Marshall speaker with Alexa voice control, a DAC you could mistake for an iOS Lightning-port dongle and a beautiful pair of premium ebony hardwood cans from Audio-Technica. 

We also have two 4K TVs for your perusal: a Samsung 55in 4K QLED and a superb 4K Sony 49-incher.

To read a What Hi-Fi? review is to understand a product inside and out. We'll explain the technical terms, debunk any jargon, and we don't shy away from giving you the honest truth about a product. Want to know if a piece of kit should be in your home (or around your neck, or in your ears)? Read our new issue.

System got it down

We'll get straight to it: 46 components, 13 systems expertly put together by your What Hi-Fi? team, 28 pages of detailed images and explanatory information to make your chosen set-up sing. And it's all designed to cater for a wide range of budgets and listening tastes. 

For example: you'll find a duo of TV set-ups – one based around a soundbar, the other a fully-fledged home cinema system – and of course, with vinyl's continued resurgence, most of our compositions feature a turntable. That said, it doesn't matter if you're a digital devotee or an analogue-only household, there's a system here for you, with both CD and streaming options covered. 

Whether the budget you've set aside for a hi-res portable system stretches to £1000 or you're looking to invest up to £35,000 in a complete home set-up, we'll bring you the best sound-per-pound compatible products.

Buying an entire set-up for a loved one who's just getting into vinyl is now like looking to upgrade one of the separates you've been enjoying for years: you just have to let What Hi-Fi?'s systems special be your guide.

You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition. 

The atmosphere defines the environment of sound

It isn't all in-depth reviews and superb system partnerships, of course. This month, our editor-in-chief, Joe Cox, gets a few things off his chest about Dolby Atmos. 

We have championed the wonderful, immersive experience that is Dolby Atmos technology from its very beginning, but is the current trend towards Atmos-badged soundbars, TVs, smartphones and tablets too much of a good thing?

Plastering the Dolby Atmos name on all manner of diminutive, often handheld, products devoid of the components to deliver it effectively can only lower the benchmark for quality sound. So why water it down? 

And while we humbly offer our opinions, we always seek out the thoughts of others too. Also featured in our Insider section this month, KEF's head of acoustics, Jack Oclee-Brown tells us about his early hi-fi tinkering days, his mum's singing and his current inimitable flair for drive unit engineering. 

Passion drives. (Reason holds the reins)

No issue of What Hi-Fi? would be complete without our Temptations section, where we review the ultimate best in high-end hi-fi. This month is a little special, as we detail the Ayre Acoustics KX-R Twenty and VX-R Twenty – a pre/power amplifier that'll set you back over £50K. And it's not just the sleek exterior we're showcasing either; buy the new issue of What Hi-Fi? and you'll get to see the sonic brilliance that sets it apart from the inside out. 

Also in our Temptations section this month is a pair of Grado open-backed headphones that use Cocobolo for the driver housings – a tropical hardwood thought to work well with the company's carefully tuned in-house 50mm drivers. If you've got a dedicated listening room and a fair chunk of disposable income – or even if you haven't but you just love reading about high end kit – you should spend some time over this review. 

You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition. 

Revenge of the Nerds/Real Genius

Okay, so those two classic 1980s flicks aren't in this list. But there are some belters here. Lockdown measures are beginning to ease, but with cinemas and theatres still dark, there's still time to go back and revisit the classics – and we'll wager there are several in this list you've never actually seen. We believe that should change. 

Plus, we've also updated and included our definitive guide to the best home entertainment your money can buy, our extensive and unparalleled Buyer's Guide. 

Stay safe, and happy reading.

You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition

Readers of our recent feature explaining how to listen to David Bowie in chronological order may only have just arrived at the seminal 1972 album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. It quickly became one of our soon-to-be-christened Aladdin Sane's most memorable works though; if your head's been turned by music at all since '72, you've heard it countless times. 

While the album didn't make our recent 10 of the best 1970s albums to test your speakers roundup, if we were to compile a '10 of the best 1970s albums to test your lyrics knowledge' opus, Ziggy would doubtless be top of the pile.

In 2008, Bowie told the Daily Mail about his use of the cut-up technique when writing lyrics: "You write down a paragraph or two describing several different subjects, creating a kind of 'story ingredients' list, I suppose, and then cut the sentences into four or five-word sections; mix ’em up and reconnect them. You can get some pretty interesting idea combinations like this. You can use them as is or, if you have a craven need to not lose control, bounce off these ideas and write whole new sections."

And so it was with Ziggy Stardust, the ninth track (or track four, side two) of the album. And that's partially why this clickable lyrics-finishing quiz isn't easy... 

But what if you know all of this? What if you're ready to put your extensive knowledge of the album's occasionally erratic and consistently wonderful lyrics to task? Well, simply hit play below, music fans. It's multiple choice – just click on a word to complete the lyric – but choose wisely before you making your move: if you're wrong, you're wrong. No second chances here. 

And it isn't all screwed-down hairdos and cats from Japan, either. This quiz contains lyrics from each and every track on the original 1972 album – in fact, only one of the 15 vocal stylings you need to complete here is actually from the song Ziggy Stardust. For every question, we've given you the title of the song as a hint, all you have to do is complete the lyric – sing it out if it helps. 

So let's get to work. You have six minutes. Oh, and feel free to write your score in the comments section when you're done. Do it for the Starman, waiting in the sky... 

MORE: 

Top the charts with this tricky 1970s music quiz

Test your music knowledge with our Pink Floyd quiz

Quiz: can you name these 10 inaugural products from iconic British hi-fi brands?

Music quiz: Can you name the best-selling vinyl records of the last decade?

Break the bank with our most expensive music videos quiz

It would be an understatement to say that Samsung’s AV strategy for 2020 is multi-pronged. It’s not only improving on its excellent 2019 QLED line-up, but also advancing its 8K QLED TVs while making them more wallet-friendly, and building on its lifestyle TV range. The company’s MicroLED displays are becoming more accessible this year – even if only ever so slightly – and Samsung’s TV and soundbar experience are being uniquely harmonised.

At CES 2020, Samsung has drawn the curtains on its 4K, 8K and MicroLED TV line-up for this year – and here's everything there is to know about it...

Want a more detailed insight into Samsung's QLED developments? Here's how Samsung’s 2020 QLED TV strategy plans to topple OLED.

• CES 2020: Samsung confirms Q950TS bezel-less 8K TV

2020 8K TVs: better, cheaper and bezel-less

The headline news: with 8K demand “surpassing expectations” last year, according to Samsung, there will be not one but two 8K QLED TV ranges this year – one of which features Samsung’s new completely bezel-less ‘Infinity Screen’ (Q950TS in Europe, Q950S in the US), and the other of which will apparently be priced in-line with a premium 4K TV (Q800T). We can expect prices starting around £3500, then.

Both 8K sets promise a performance lift over last year’s courtesy of a 2nd-gen Quantum Processor 8K, which is designed to further improve texture creation and noise reduction while creating its own algorithm to restore fine details. While in 2019 Samsung focused on enhancing blacks and viewing angles, 2020’s efforts centre around improving brightness, contrast and details.

Samsung has improved the efficiency of its Full Array Local Dimming (FALD) system too, with FALD TVs able to relocate power reserved from darker areas of the panel to the brightest areas of a scene that need it. To this end, Samsung claims to have increased peak brightness by 20 per cent without increasing power consumption.

Meanwhile, the new Adaptive Picture+ can optimise the brightness and contrast of the scene playing based on the lighting of your room conditions, while Adaptive Sound+ (or Active Voice Amplifier) automatically bolsters voice clarity when an increase in surrounding noise is detected.

As confirmed earlier today, this year's QLED 8K TVs will offer ATSC 3.0 tuners. This next-generation broadcast standard promises support for higher resolution, more realistic audio and interactive experiences, and is designed to usher a new era of 4K (and perhaps one day 8K) over-the-air transmission TV broadcasting.

Then there's AI ScaleNet, which works to solve the inevitable problem of streaming bandwidth for 8K content. While you'll no doubt need a lot of bandwidth to stream in the resolution, Ai ScaleNet is designed to help by compressing content as it leaves the content provider and then restoring it after it reaches the TV to "effectively cut in half the bandwidth needed for consumers to stream content". Samsung is working with Amazon to utilise the feature for Prime Video.

The Q800T models benefit from a 4.2.2-channel speaker configuration, as well as new OTS+ sound processing that analyses an audio signal and sends it to certain speakers so the viewer can track the sound across the screen in accordance with the movement of the visual. 

Every 2020 QLED TV will be compatible with Samsung’s new Q-Symphony concept, which sees the TV’s drivers working in conjunction with the speakers within a connected Samsung 2020 Q-series soundbar. As opposed to TV speakers being mute when a soundbar is connected, here they all work together in perfect… symphony.

Meanwhile, the flagship Q950TS expands upon its sibling’s feature set with a gorgeous 14.9mm-thick frame (not bad for at all for a Full Array Local Dimming set), a bezel-free screen with a 99 per cent screen-to-body ratio (the black borders are less than 2mm), and the One Invisible cabling we’ve seen in previous Samsung flagships.

• Samsung 8K QLED TVs to be among first certified by 8K Association

2020 4K TVs feature more intricate AI upscaling

Samsung’s 4K TV line-up comprises the Q60T, Q70T, Q80T and Q90T ranges – replacements to 2019’s Q60R, Q70R, Q80R and Q90R series respectively. The Q80T is where the Direct Full Array panels start, while the Q90T exclusively sports Samsung’s new Ultra Viewing Angle tech for better off-axis watching.

As with the 8K QLEDS, a new processor powers the 4K QLEDs for this year. The Quantum Processor 2.0 4K harnesses similar next-generation AI upscaling wizardry that utilises deeper, more nuanced machine learning processing.

More specs on Samsung's 4K QLEDs, as well as details about specific features for specific ranges, should follow in the coming weeks. Naturally, we'll be eagerly await the brand's announcement of its non-QLED LCD TVs too.

The expansion of MicroLED

MicroLED has existed in Samsung’s line-up for some years in the shape of the gigantic, certainly not living room-friendly The Wall – but now The Future Of TV, as MicroLED is being heralded, is taking its next incremental step to eventually become a viable consumer TV proposition.

Samsung will have 75in, 88in, 93in and 110in (4K) and 150in and 292in (8K) MicroLED 'The Wall' displays available this year, with those under 100in delivered pre-assembled in a frame (like a normal telly), and the larger sizes requiring installation – as existing The Wall does. They’ll still cost mega-money, and because of that will Samsung expects more uptake in the B2C market at the moment, but such expansion is a promising sign for the progression of the technology.

• Hands on: Samsung 75in Micro LED TV review

• MicroLED TV: everything you need to know

Lifestyle TV target: to sell one million

Thanks to their introduction in 2016, Samsung's Lifestyle TVs such as The Frame and Serif are now household names in the company's line-up. They’re being joined by a third model, The AirPlay 2-supporting Sero, a 43in standing display that mirrors a smartphone screen, rotating for vertical or horizontal orientation – as you can see pictured above.

The Sero ('Sero' translates to 'vertical' in Korean) will be globally introduced this year following its initial 2019 launch in South Korea, and could well help Samsung achieve its 2020 goal of selling one million lifestyle TVs, triple the sales of 2019.

The Frame line-up is also expanding to include 32in and 75in sizes, and has also been upgraded with a Dual LED system, which sees the use of both cooler and warmer LEDs – allowing the intensity of the blue spectrum to be adjusted, and thus helping to reduce light leakage, improve contrast and viewing angle.

MORE: 

CES 2020: news, highlights and best new products

Samsung CES 2020 highlights

Didn't get the smart speaker you wanted for Christmas? Fancy a Sonos Boxing Day deal instead? You're in luck. You can now get a great saving on the excellent Sonos Play:1. 

The Play:1 has been an entry-level staple in the Sonos multi-room line-up since 2013, and it's now available at the cheapest price we've seen in the Boxing Day sales. We saw a few deals on this Sonos wireless speaker during Black Friday week, but now, Currys has shaved an extra £20 off its lowest-seen Cyber Monday price. 

It may have been around for a little while, but the Sonos Play:1 is still a great little performer, earning five stars in our review. And, thanks to its stellar sonic chops, it has aged incredibly well – making this deal all the more tempting.

Sonos brought the entry-level price of the Play:1 down slightly a few years ago, and then added the smart Sonos One and Sonos One SL to the portfolio. However, if you already own a Sonos Play:1 and are looking to add to your multi-room system or you want to get started with Sonos on a post-Christmas budget, this little Bobby Dazzler may well be your best bet – especially at this ultra-low price. 

MORE:

The best Sonos deals in the Boxing Day sales

Which Sonos speaker is best for you?

Freeview's app is a nifty way to watch live and on-demand TV shows on your phone. But while iOS users got access earlier this year, Android users were left out in the cold. 

Thankfully, that's no longer the case. The Freeview app is now available from the Google Play Store, meaning that Android users can enjoy free telly on-the-go.

The app lets you stream live TV shows on BBC, ITV and Channel 4, as well as accessing on-demand content from BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, My5, and UKTV Play. It's free to download and use – provided you have a TV license.

The Freeview app boasts a searchable 15 day TV guide plus recommendations in categories such as 'Comedy', 'Drama' and 'Kids', so it should appeal to bored children and bored commuters alike.

In fact, Freeview says the iOS version of the app has proved particularly popular with viewers who want to tune into BBC Breakfast and ITV’s Good Morning Britain on their way in to work. 

If you've been counting down the days until you can get the Freeview app on your Android device, the wait is over. All you need is a device with Android 4.4 KitKat or above. All set? Let the binging begin.

MORE:

Best TVs 2019: budget to premium 4K Ultra HD TVs

Best smartphones 2019: The best phones for music and movies

Freeview Play: What is it? How can you get it? 

Sonos says the Playbase is aimed at the "nearly 70 per cent of TVs" that aren't mounted on the wall, and therefore would arguably better suit a soundbase than a soundbar.

Aside from the design, the new Playbase is almost identical to the Playbar, from sound quality to features to price (£700).

So it's a digital optical audio output connection to your TV, rather than HDMI, with support for Dolby Digital 5.1 but not DTS or HD audio formats, such as Dolby TrueHD (or hi-res audio, for that matter).

The Playbase connects to any other Sonos speaker and can also be used with the Sonos Sub and Sonos rear speakers in a '5.1' setup, as is the case with the Playbar.

MORE: Sonos Playbase hands-on review

Ultimately, Sonos thinks the choice between the Playbase and the Playbar should be a cosmetic one. And the slimness of this new model, coupled with the ability to place your TV on top, will hold plenty of appeal.

The Sonos soundbase stands just 58mm tall - the thinnest Sonos speaker yet - and measures 72cm wide and 38cm deep. It weighs 8.6kg, which makes it heavier than the Playbar, thanks in part to the new glass-filled polycarbonate material used in the "seamless, monolithic design".

On the front, you'll find the same touch controls as found on the newest Play:5, allowing you to play/pause the sound, adjust the volume and select next/previous track when playing music.

MORE: 21 Sonos tips, tricks and features

You'll also find some 43,000 holes in the speaker grille. Each hole is one of five different sizes and individually-drilled for the optimum dispersion of air and sound. In theory, at least.

Behind the holes are ten speaker drivers - three tweeters, six midrange drivers and a subwoofer. Each driver has been designed for the Playbase, and each has its own Class-D amplifier.

The Playbase is compatible with Sonos' Trueplay room equalisation technology, which tailors the sound to your room. It will get Amazon Alexa voice control when an update rolls out across Sonos speakers.

MORE: Sonos confirms Alexa voice control coming in 2017

The Sonos Playbase is available in either black or white finishes, and goes on sale in April, priced £700 ($700/€800).

MORE: Sonos - everything you need to know

MORE: Which is the best Sonos speaker for you?

Following a surprisingly public disagreement, Discovery and Sky have reached an agreement to keep the Discovery portfolio of TV channels on Sky "for years to come".

Some twelve channels, including Discovery, Eurosport, TLC and Animal Planet, were set to be removed from Sky following a public spat over the cost of the deal.

A Sky source reportedly claimed the TV company had been "overpaying Discovery for years". Discovery launched a campaign imploring viewers to petition Sky and show their support for the channels.

And now a deal has been reached, with both parties announcing the "great news" that all the Discovery channels would remain on Sky and Now TV. The cut-off date for reaching a new agreement was said to be 31st January.

Susanna Dinnage, managing director, Discovery Networks UK, said in a statement: “We want to thank our millions of viewers and fans for their overwhelming support over the last few days. We have reached a new agreement that guarantees Sky’s customers access to Discovery’s wide range of channels and programmes for years to come."

Sky also took the opportunity to announce a new deal with PBS America, promising "the best of PBS's factual programming". Over 1,000 hours of programming is set to be added to Sky's On Demand service from channels such as History and National Geographic.

MORE: The What Hi-Fi? month in film and TV

MORE: Sky Q review

In the battle of curved TV versus flat TV, most people sit firmly in one camp or the other. If it’s the former, Samsung’s 2016 range of TVs has you covered.

If it’s the latter, you are a little more limited. This means, in absolute terms, the Samsung KS8000 is the company's flagship flatscreen range for 2016.

The UE49KS8000 is the 49in version and the smallest of the lot, sitting below 55in, 65in and 75in KS8000 screen sizes.

Features

It’s not small on features though, and packs both 4K and HDR, with an almost identical list of specs as its curvier KS9000 sibling.

Like the KS9000, the KS8000 features Samsung’s '360-degree design', which offers a super-slim bezel, stylish central stand and an almost unblemished back panel.

MORE: Samsung UE55KS9000 curved TV review

A small flap lifts to unveil a USB port and ethernet connection, with other inputs – including four 4K-ready HDMIs, an optical input, two further USBs and both satellite and terrestrial connections – found on Samsung’s OneConnect box.

The Quantum Dot display ticks all the boxes for a UHD Premium logo, including 1000 nits of peak brightness. Not bad for an edge-lit display.

MORE: Ultra HD Premium: What are the specs? Which TVs support it?

Samsung’s Tizen operating system has seen some welcome tweaks this year. It’s now faster and more intuitive, and adds a second row of exploded content and suggested next steps along the bottom of the screen.

This could mean a list of sources or quick settings without needing to open up a full settings screen, suggested content from your Netflix and Amazon watch lists, or YouTube videos from your subscriptions.

Catch-up services such as BBC iPlayer and ITV Player are also at your disposal.

MORE: Best video streaming services 2016

With so much tech, something has had to fall by the wayside, and that’s 3D. As with all Samsung’s 2016 TVs, the KS8000 has no 3D functionality, which is worth considering if you have a library of 3D discs.

Set-up is nice and simple, with the UE49KS8000 walking you through the main settings for getting channels loaded and network connections sorted, plus it will also help you to add sources by recognising and naming them automatically.

The included smart remote doubles up as a universal remote for compatible kit too, and is able to deliver basic commands to devices from all manner of manufacturers.

MORE: Best TV deals – smart, HD, 4K TV

Picture

Picture controls are hidden away under 'expert settings', leaving simpler modes such as Movie, Standard, Natural or Dynamic front and centre.

Of course, you should dive straight into settings to tweak these further – we opt for Movie for the most natural handling of colour, and calibrate using our THX Optimizer disc.

The only extra settings we find of much use are the Smart LED local dimming setting, which helps to get blacks a little deeper when set to low (it defaults to high for HDR content), and the motion controls – we’d try setting low custom values if you feel the need, as the KS8000 doesn’t require much help in this department.

It’s a very stable picture indeed.

MORE: How to set up your TV

All these settings will change the moment the TV recognises an HDR source, boosting the backlight up to its maximum, among other things, in order to make the most of your HDR content.

The Samsung UE49KS8000 will automatically revert back to SDR settings once the HDR source is turned off.

We play a 4K HDR disc of Mad Max: Fury Road to see how the KS8000 copes with the movie’s striking visuals. On cue, the backlight jumps into action to deliver an impressive level of brightness we wouldn’t usually expect from an edge-lit set.

The burnt-orange desert wasteland looks rich and vibrant, displayed with more depth, nuance and intensity than you would get from SDR content.

Highlights are just as striking but avoid looking one-dimensional, delivering subtlety and detail to the likes of sunshine and clouds.

MORE: A list of all the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs on sale

There’s real insight elsewhere too. The costumes that bagged this film an Oscar are sharply etched and superbly realised, with enough fine detail on display so you don’t miss a stitch. Textures appear true to life, skin-tones wonderfully judged.

It makes for a wholly immersive picture that’s just as stunning as we found on the curved Samsung KS9000, with colours across the board managing to tread that fine line between punch and believability. Black levels could be a little better though.

Even with the Smart LED setting turned up to its default high for HDR content, we’ve seen deeper, more convincing blacks on sets such as the Panasonic DX902.

MORE: HDR TV - What is it? How can you get it?

This isn’t helped by Samsung’s edge-lit tech – now lit from top and bottom rather than from the sides – which isn’t quite as accurate in its dimming as a full array set is.

We also notice a touch of vertical blooming when a bright object is in shot, just as we did on the KS9000. It’s not too distracting – it’s only really noticeable in a very dark room – but is a limitation of the KS8000’s capabilities all the same.

It’s much less obvious with SDR content though, mostly because the backlight setting is much lower. As a result, blacks are better, and cling on well to shadow detail in murkier scenes.

Drop down to standard Blu-ray content, or even broadcast TV, and you won’t see a huge shift in character, thanks to the decent upscaler Samsung has on board.

Detail levels naturally take a step down with every compromise in quality you make, but ultimately it remains a sharp, natural and well-judged picture.

MORE: 10 of the best Blu-ray film scenes to test picture quality

Sound

We don’t often hold out much hope for sound from TVs this slim, but the Samsung KS8000’s 4.1-channel setup with its claimed 60W of power certainly holds its own.

There’s enough weight here to give body and authority to voices, and it keeps its cool even when the volume is pushed high.

Samsung has clearly worked hard to ensure the KS8000 doesn’t sound bright or thin, but appears to have erred on the side of caution.

More bite in the top end would give the UE49KS8000 the chance to be more expressive – and a more engaging listen.

MORE: Best soundbars 2016

Verdict

The Samsung UE49KS8000 TV squeezes a lot of tech into a sub-50in screen, making it a tempting buy for the size-conscious consumer wanting a high-end 4K upgrade.

If you have shunned the trend for curved TVs, the UE49KS8000 is by far the best flatscreen Samsung set we’ve seen this year. It should make it high on to your shortlist.

MORE: Best Samsung 4K TVs

MORE: 9 of the best 4K TVs

See all our Samsung reviews

If SoundMagic came up with even better sounding versions of its multi Award-winning E10s for the same money, we’d have to pinch ourselves to believe it.

Fortunately, we don’t have to because the new SoundMagic E10C in-ears sound the same as the model they replace.

That homogeneity may not be what you’d expect of a successor, but we’ve been here before, the Japanese company is not averse to making purely functional improvements for its upgraded models.

There’s clearly no dust settling on the SoundMagic engineer’s motivation, because once again they’ve managed to squeeze even more into a £40 in-ear headphone.

MORE: SoundMagic E10 review

Video review

Build and comfort

The C stands for ‘compatibility’ – and unsurprisingly this is where we see advances.

While the E10Ss came with an in-line one-button remote and smartphone compatibility switch for manually switching between Android and iOS devices, the E10C model features a three-button remote that automatically switches the poles on the jack for compatibility with iOS and Android. And it works.

MORE: SoundMagic E10S review

SoundMagic claims it is the only company to do it (and no, we can’t think of another) – which isn’t a bad thing to shout about.

The universal remote not only makes things easier for you, the extra buttons giving you volume controls as well as pause and skip tracks, but without a switch, the design is more streamlined than ever.

As was the case with the E10s and E10Ss before them, you won’t mind splashing out a couple of twenty notes for their angled metal 3.5mm jack, twisted cable and ‘gun metal’ details.

MORE: Best in-ear headphones 2016

Sound

Technically we could just rehash the equivalent section of the E10S review here, but the E10Cs inspire us to say some more about how good they are.

Still, that doesn’t stop us repeating words like ‘energetic’ and ‘expressive’ and phrases such as ‘impressive dynamics’ and ‘even balance’, which we used before – because all those observations still stand.

From the pummelling guitar chords that open PJ Harvey’s The Ministry Of Defence, they aren’t afraid to empty their tank from the off, throwing their weight and enthusiasm behind the track’s thunderous metal-heavy orchestration.

MORE: Best headphone deals: in-ear, over-ear, wireless and more

Her wily vocal basks in the clarity and openness of the SoundMagic’s midrange with pleasing insight, and the detailed frequencies bookending it keep the tonal scales level; the bass is as tenacious as the guitar playing, and highs are lucid and crisp.

An entertaining all-round listen, the SoundMagic’s energetic, expressive and agile performance gives consumers no excuse for settling for (mostly average-at-best) in-the-box earphones.

MORE: Best budget headphones 2016

Verdict

C for ‘compatibility’? More like ‘consistency’.

For five years, Soundmagic’s E10s in some form or another have been our go-to budget headphones, and although sound quality hasn’t taken a leap forward this time, it’s still remarkable that Soundmagic finds ways to implement improvements without bumping up the price.

How could the next version possibly be better? Well, we said that about the last pair…

See all our SoundMagic reviews

A few years ago, £600 was the standard pricetag for a smart 32in Full HD TV; our 2010 Award winner cost £700, for example.

Yet for the past two years, the top brands seem to have settled nearer the £400 figure. Price drops have to cease somewhere, after all.

With the spotlight on bigger screens and growing accessibility of 4K, you could say humble TVs like the UE32J6300 (the smallest of Samsung’s top Full HD ranges) have been sidelined. Like the swings when the funfair comes to town.

But they still live and breathe, and Samsung is trying to keep an air of modernity around this one by making it curved. It’s subtly done here – the frame actually seems more curved than the screen itself – and has more of a case for consistency in its J6300 range, which goes up to 55ins, than it does for ‘immersion’. It looks smart, though.

But at £380, it’s not exactly a bargain, especially when you consider our favourite small TV of 2015, the 40in Panasonic TX-40CS520, matches it for price. But if size is swaying your pocketbook, the UE32J6300 throws everything at you.

MORE: Awards 2015 – TVs

Features

There’s a tick in every box when it comes to catch-up TV – BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4 and Demand5 are all out in force – and Amazon Instant Video, Netflix, and YouTube join more obscure streaming titles like MUBI and BFI Player ­– ideal for movie lovers.

So unless you have discs itching to be played, a Blu-ray player isn’t essential to make the most of this Samsung. Though of course they, along with games console and hard drives, can stick into the Samsung’s inputs: four HDMIs, three USBs and legacy analogue connections.

An optical output caters for a soundbar, a headphone output for headphones, and there’s a LAN socket if you’d rather hardwire your TV to the internet than stream wirelessly.

Navigating Tizen, Samsung’s latest TV software, has become second nature to the What Hi-Fi? team, and as an improvement on the full-page ‘hubs’ that clad 2014’s TVs, it’s something of a success. Like with LG’s WebOS, tiles of allocated apps and channels run along the bottom of screen, with most operations overlaying current viewing for minimal disruption. It’s generally foolproof and menus are logical and straightforward.

MORE: Best buy TVs 2016

Picture

When it comes to picture performance, the UE32J6300 may not have the wow factor of the headliners – the sharpness of 4K, the inky blacks of OLED – and of course there’s the underwhelming size…

But it puts in a solid, pretty faultless stint: squeaky clean and autumn leaf crisp, with clarity and coherence leading the way.

Iris – a documentary on 93-year-old fashionista Iris Apfel – is a delight to watch. The onslaught of colour throughout the show is both punchy and bright, and after fine-tuning the Samsung’s picture settings for further refinement and accuracy, glitter sparkles and beads reflect, while Iris’s thick-framed glasses are a good advert for the Samsung’s deep, solid blacks.

Over to John Wick on Blu-ray and the Samsung manages to unearth clarity and dark detail in the film’s dingy, underground palette. Suits are distinguished against the shadows, while city lights punch out of the night sky.

Standard def is sharper and cleaner than we’ve seen on small (40in) 4K TVs too – generally a benefit of Full HD sets over 4K ones. The inevitable downgrade going from BBC One HD to the SD channel is less disturbing here than in most cases.

Sound

Where it may surprise you is sound quality. The volume possible from such a diminutive set is generous, comfortable right the way up to 100, without sounding shrill or forced.

And while action scenes might not be as weighty or dynamically engaging as they would through a soundbar (or ‘base), we wouldn’t necessarily rush out to buy one for casual TV viewing.

It’s clear and detailed enough to get across a track’s essential information.

Verdict

If you’re interested in a 32in Full HD set, the Samsung UE32J6300 is a very good buy indeed.

Picture quality is hugely competitive and its smarts (as with a lot of Samsung sets right now) set a benchmark of its own.

MORE: Best Samsung 4K TVs

See all our Samsung reviews

See all our television reviews

Satellite broadcaster Sky continues its series of rolling improvements to its Sky+ and Sky+ HD box today with a trio of new features for Sky Movies.

Watchlist enables users to create a personalised film library, so you can add films to your wishlist with a single click of the green button on the remote, to watch at a later date.

And for those who regularly miss the first five or ten minutes of a film, the Watch from Start option means you can download the film once it has started, then watch from the beginning.

Also new is the More Like This feature which, as the name suggests, is a film recommendation service. Click the yellow button for suggestions of similar films based on ones you've already selected. If you like The Lego Movie, for example, you will be offered similar family titles such as The Box Trolls and Maleficent.

Later this year Sky will introduce its Rotten Tomatoes audience star rating system to help you choose which films you'd like to watch. The company is facing increasing competition from other catch-up TV services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime.

The BBC recently improved its iPlayer to add a Live Restart feature for smart TVs and cross-device pause and resume, so viewers can pause a video stream on one device and resume watching it on another.

Luke Bradley-Jones, Sky's director of TV products, says: "This is just the latest in a series of enhancements we are rolling out every few months to make sure Sky+ continues to make TV watching a brilliant experience."

MORE: Read our full Sky+ HD review

MORE: Sky planning support for 4K Ultra HD

When it comes to Samsung’s M5, there is little more you could ask a wireless speaker to do at this price.

Features

It’s one of the cheapest wireless speakers we’ve tested recently, and has easily the longest features list - covering Bluetooth, built-in wi-fi, DLNA certification, internet radio and NFC connectivity.

It’s packing multi-room smarts too. And while we liked its bigger brother, the M7, there’s arguably more to love here; a better balance across the frequency range and, of course, a price tag that’s £100 cheaper.

We didn’t encounter the same issues with set-up as we did with its sibling either, using the free-to-download app to help get it onto our wireless network without much bother. Of course, you can stream using Bluetooth, but then you wouldn’t be unlocking the M5’s charm.

Once on the network, and used in conjunction with the Samsung Multi-room app, the M5 really comes into its own.

Don’t be fooled by the app’s name – you can still use it to control a single speaker; it offers you easy access to music stored both locally and on DLNA devices on the same network, plus internet radio via the TuneIn Radio service and a bevy of popular streaming services, all just a few finger taps away.

Design and build

The speaker is as well-designed as the app: solid and well built. The triangular design is stylish but understated, and allows the M5 to be used flat or vertically using the stand included.

Standing the M5 up helps improve bass response, perhaps due to less low-end reinforcement from the support surface. Controls are minimal: three touch-sensitive icons for source (internet radio, Bluetooth or TV SoundConnect – the last offering a wireless connection with compatible Samsung TVs).

On the left-hand side, there’s an NFC point for quick Bluetooth pairing, while the volume dial is also touch-sensitive. It’s responsive, and as easy to use as a physical control.

There’s no power button, but the M5 goes into sleep mode after around 25 minutes of inactivity. As for file compatibility, it is extensive: MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC, AIFF, ALAC and FLAC (up to 16-bit/44.1kHz) music files.

Performance

The M5 is instantly enthusiastic in its handling of the soulful intro to Busta Rhymes’s Thank You, giving a surprisingly big and spacious sound.

If you want to nudge up the volume, go right ahead – the M5 will go loud before you notice any distortion, and should fill most reasonably sized rooms. It’s a lively and agile presentation, timing well and bringing superb clarity.

There’s plenty of detail, and dynamically it’s no slouch either. It steers it away from ever sounding hard or harsh too.

Some bassy recordings show up occasional tubbiness in the low end, but it’s never enough to be a problem.

Verdict

You will enjoy the clean, open and exciting sound the M5 produces, while its connectivity makes it a one-stop shop for your streaming needs.

Its multi-room potential only adds to its charm too. This is a must-try wireless speaker that is fun and packs a performance.

If you've found yourself distracted by unpleasant vibrations when listening to your music, a new British audio-manufacturer has launched a new product that may be of interest.

Vayta has introduced the dekk – the first in its new range of audio isolation platforms – and it'll be taking to the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform from the 14th to make it a reality.

MORE: 10 of the best AV Kickstarter projects

It's arguably one of the less conventional products we've seen launched via Kickstarter this year – although there have been a number of innovative devices to follow that path.

The Vayta dekk is described as an "audiophile isolation platform" designed for use with an amplifier, CD player, turntable, streamer – or just about any piece of hi-fi equipment.

It has been constructed using a visco-elastic material called Sorbothane, which means that it is a solid that behaves like a liquid (at molecule level) when pressure is applied to it.

The platform itself is available in a number of colours and is made from Corian – a material that can often be found used instead of granite for thing such as kitchen worktops.

Vayta has also included a patented design "completely unique" to dekk: Acoustic Damping System technology, which leaves the supported unit "floating" on the Sorbothane.

This happens when the feet unlock and disengage, automatically decoupling once weight is put on the platform – a feature that aims to eliminate sound vibrations.

UK design agency 3DI has worked with Vayta to develop the dekk, with the firm promising it to be "considerably less than its main market rivals" when it hits the shelves.

You can also purchase sets of the platform's four feet if you're someone who simply wishes to attach them – complete with the Sorbothane – to the bottom of a component.

If you want to learn more or want to get in with an early order, the Kickstarter campaign is to launch on July 14th and will be hoping to become 2014's latest crowdfunded success.

MORE: Read all our equipment rack reviews

by Pete Hayman

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From today, any one signed up to Sky Go can now access a further 14 channels for streaming or download on compatible mobile devices, laptops and the Xbox 360.

The new channels include some of Sky's most popular: Comedy Central, Dave, MTV, Gold, Nat Geo, History and Discovery to name a few.

However some channels, including the last 3 mentioned, require a subscription to Sky TV's Entertainment Extra pass and, in order to download shows, a £5 montly subscription for Sky Go Extra is required.

Sky now offers 40 entertainment channels, 6 sports channels and 11 movie channels on its mobile TV platform.

Sky's Brand Director of TV Products, Luke Bradley-Jones, said of the update, "Sky Go has gone from strength to strength since it launced in July 2011 and now attracts over 3 million unique users quarterly."

"The addition of these new channels is part of our continued commitment to provide our customers with a great TV experience whenever and wherever they want it, all at no extra cost."

The full list of channels is as follows:

MTV, Comedy Central, Gold, Watch, Dave, Alibi, Nat Geo, Nat Geo Wild, Discovery, TLC, Animal Planet, History, Good Food and Eden.

The news follows the announcement last week, that the Sky Go app for Android will go completely live on December 3rd, following months of being in a Beta testing mode.

For more information and a list of compatible devices for Sky Go, head to sky.com.

by Max Langridge

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The Sky Go app for Android tablets is set to go live on December 3rd after a period of Beta testing.

The app is currently in Beta testing mode and Sky says some streaming issues with certain Android tablets has halted a general release.

However, Sky has today revealed that testing is expected to be completed by December 3rd, when the Sky Go app will be released.

The app will be compatible with the majority of devices running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and above.

However users of the Asus Transfomer Pad TF101 and Amazon's Kindle tabs will unfortunately not be able to use the service due to device-specific streaming issues.

MORE: Best tablets to buy in 2013

In other Sky news, the Sky+ HD 2TB box, which won set-top box Product of the Year 2013, has been given a cosmetic facelift courtesy of four big names from the fashion world.

Roland Mouret, Giles Deacon, Sophie Dahl and Kit Neale have been brought onboard to design a box, with inspiration being taken from their favourite TV genre.

The Sky+ HD 2TB box features built-in Wi-Fi, which provides instant access to Sky's unrivalled collection of Catch Up TV and TV box sets.

MORE: Awards 2013: Set-top boxes

Roland's offering takes design cues from the drama genre. He said of his box, "I love the idea of magic. I love how a woman can put on a dress and transform herself into something completely new. For me, the Sky box has the same magical quality."

"My design features colourful splashes of passion cutting through a clam sea of orchids. Some people will look and see love, some people look and see blood. It's up to you." Indeed.

Sophie's design is inspired by a love of romance, "I'm a big fan of old fashion illustrations and textile design from the twenties and thirties, Cecil Beaton and Chanel in particular. It was their fashion illustrations that were the inspiration for my Sky box: the rose, something sweet and playful that conjures romance." If you say so, Sophie.

The limited edition Sky+ HD 2TB boxes cost £149 for existing Sky customers. New customers can nab one for £49 when bundled with Sky's Entertainment Extra+ subscription package. Otherwise it will cost £249.

Existing Sky customers who wish to sign up to the Entertainment Extra+ service will need to pay £199 for the box. Or you could just stick with the standard black one...

by Max Langridge

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Sky has added four new channels to its catch-up TV offering, announced news of a redesigned Sky Go app and revealed Sky Go Extra is set to be free for Sky Multiroom customers from "early July".

Fox, Universal, SyFy and Disney are now all available on demand from Sky's Catch Up TV service, thought you will need the Entertainment Pack to access Disney's content.

Sky now offers access to over 20 catch up channels, as the popularity of on-demand viewing increases. Sky reports the second week of June saw 41,000 downloads of Game of Thrones.

Talking of downloads, Sky Go Extra, which allows users to download Sky programmes on demand for offline viewing, is set to be available free for Sky Multiroom users from July. Customers will need to simply update their account online at sky.com.

Also incoming is a redesigned version of the Sky Go app for phones, tablets and also on Xbox. Promising a fresh look and improved navigation, the Sky Go app now offers 39 channels on mobile and tablets. The update is promised later this summer.

Sky Go Extra: all you need to know

by Joe Cox

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Sky Go has launched on more Android devices including those running the Jelly Bean OS, which includes the Google Nexus 4 phone and Nexus 7 tablet.

This latest update brings Sky Go to more devices including those running the Jelly Bean operating system, which includes new devices from Google, HTC, LG, Samsung and Sony.

Flagship devices including the Nexus 4 and 7, the HTC One X and other One models, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and Sony Xperia phones all now support Sky Go.

Sky Go brings up to 43 live channels including Sky Sports, Sky Movies and thousands of hours of on demand content.

The free app – to Sky subscribers – has been on iOS devices for some time and a growing number of Android phones and tablets.

New devices that Sky Go is now available on:

HTC: Desire X, One X, One XL, One S and One V

Google: Nexus 4 and Nexus 7 Samsung: Galaxy S3 LTE, Galaxy S3 Mini, Galaxy Ace 2 and Galaxy Note 2

Sony: Sony Xperia S, Sony Xperia T

LG: LG 4X HD

This is in addition to the phones already supported:

HTC: HTC Desire, HTC Desire S, HTC Desire HD, HTC Incredible S, HTC Sensation, HTC Sensation XE

Samsung: Samsung Galaxy S, Samsung Galaxy S2, Samsung Galaxy S3, Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Samsung Galaxy Note

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We've had a good long look at the Samsung PS50C6900 plasma. It arrived just in time to find itself flung into a Supertest in November, and emerged from that with enough credit to make off with an Award in 2010.

Now it's back for the third time running – and its grip on all five stars has held firm. Never a dull moment, eh?

An embarrassment of tech riches
In many ways it's as likeable as ever. It looks good, for a start – the bulk of a 50-inch TV (even a slim one) can be tricky to disguise, but the PS50C6900 isn't about to ruin your carefully decorated interior.

It has a specification list that just goes on and on, too. Samsung's excellent Internet@TV service is available via Ethernet or wirelessly (the dongle for which will set you back the thick end of £50), and the screen will also stream from your own media.

It has a pair of USB ports alongside four HDMIs and plenty of lesser connectivity, too. Freeview HD reception is also on board. The C6900 shares its remote with other Samsung models, and its excellent menus with all three of them.

As a straight-ahead television, the Samsung has plenty of positives: TV pictures are vibrant and clean, with commendably smooth edges and reasonable depth to black tones.

Tough motion can upset it
There isn't quite as much detail revealed in those blacks as some of its premium rivals, though, and the toughest motion can disrupt the C6900's serenity. Skin-tones are a little overly healthy, too – some faces look they've either spent too long in the sun or too long at the bar.

Upscaled DVDs get a better grip on motion, mind you, and while skin-textures and tones can look a little soft they do at least have more natural colouring. The whole colour palette is enjoyably neutral, in fact.

Spared the effort of upscaling lower-resolution content to fit its screen, the Samsung looks altogether better realised when showing a Blu-ray of Gran Torino.

Black detail could be a little better, but otherwise this set turns out a really watchable performance by the standards of the priciest TVs at this size – where colours, contrasts and motion are concerned, the C6900 displays the sort of assurance that won it an Award in the first place. Skin-textures (and Clint has a lot of them) are convincing, while the lack of scale or weight to sound should come as no surprise at all.

3D is smooth and convincing
Fire up some 3D and the Samsung reinforces its credentials. Detail levels fall away a little, and contrasts become less emphatic, but the 3D effect is smooth and convincing – cross-talk is minimal too, so 3D films don't require wide-eyed concentration to watch.

If a big, do-it-all screen at a tempting price fits your needs, the PS50C6900 still demands your attention – it just doesn't have the field all to itself any longer.

See all our TV Best Buys

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Launching the Crossfade LP over-ear headphones and Remix Remote in-ear earphones, the company wants to create headphones "as unique as your style and your music".

The Crossfade LP cans sport a 50mm dual-diaphragm driver and claim high quality noise isolation, a flexible headband, detachable, reinforced cables and, naturally, top-notch sound.

Constructed from lightweight metals, the Crossfade LP is available in a choice of three finishes: white pearl, phantom chrome (pictured) and gunmetal black.

Both the Crossfade LP headphones and the Remix Remote earphones come with a three-button remote control for iPhone control.

The Remix Remote is yours for £90 and has solid build and again aims to combine style and sound quality, as well as iPhone control and noise isolation.

Val Kolton, V-MODA CEO and founder, independent DJ and producer, said: “We've spent years researching and fine-tuning our headphones alongside world-renowned musicians and DJs, and Remix Remote is our best product yet in terms of pure sound, rock solid durability improvements, ergonomics, and value.”

The Crossfade LP headphones are set to go on sale at the end of the month, with the price still to be confirmed. The V-MODA Remix Remote is on sale now for around £65.

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Things start very well for this Samsung. The ‘rose black' translucent bezel is subtle and extremely attractive. Samsung describes this as the ‘touch of colour' series, but ‘touch of class' would be just as fitting.

Calibration of the ‘656 is fairly interesting, as the screen actually gains a purple tint if you lower the brightness or contrast settings too far. Avoid this though, and turn the backlight down a little, and the Samsung's picture is very nice indeed.

The LE40A656 gives extra texture
The Eastern Promises Blu-ray is fabulously sharp and detailed, adding a degree of texture to Viggo Mortensen's shifty looks that few others can manage. A decent balance can be found between black levels and insight too, ensuring that the seedy underbelly of London is both dark, and detailed, though in both regards it can just be beaten.

A colour-palette that just verges on the reddish side of neutral means there is occasionally a ruddy tint to skin (which you see a lot of in the shower scene!), but it's by no means over the top.

The Training Day DVD equally benefits from the Samsung's detailed and sharp picture qualities, and the scaler does a really brilliant job of keeping complicated patterns, like Ethan Hawke's zip, extremely stable. Blacks still aren't quite as deep or solid as those provided by the very best on test, but they're satisfying.

Freeview pictures are also clean and detailed, and with fine colours. There is a touch of skin-tone smearing present in fast motion, but it's not severe, and the overall picture is very impressive indeed.

Throw in speakers that produce a well-balanced and fairly direct sound, and you have a very solid, stylish entry from Samsung.

This 2.1 channel system is a highly glossed, attractive, piano-black sliver of home cinema sexiness. Samsung is so proud of its looks that it provides a cloth to keep it fingerprint-free.

The main unit can stand proud or lay on its belly, in which state it has more than a hint of the PS3 about it. However, while this makes it easier to slip into an equipment rack, you won't be able to check the otherwise-clear but over-sized display.

Wiring up is quick and simple, with colour-coding to point the way. Connectivity is good, too, and a USB input – suitable for playing files from an MP3 player or PC – supplements the HDMI output.

From the HDMI out you can send upscaled DVD pictures at 720p or 1080i to good effect. The picture is very impressive for the cash, and is never less than bold, colourful and solid with the deep, dark blacks of the second Pirates of the Caribbean romp. However, it doesn't give up the detail from the shadowy depths as more expensive kit would.

Two speakers can't envelope you in sound
The loudspeakers, including the passive subwoofer, are just as shiny and well finished as the main unit, and for such slender flowers they're highly capable. The X200 sounds poised and collected, and is capable of some serious oomph, without straining or sounding harsh.

Unfortunately, the system lacks the ability to truly envelope you in the action. To attain a wide soundstage the speakers need to be positioned quite a way from the edge of the screen, at which point you lose the solidity in the centre needed for the intense dialogue of The Departed.

These shortcomings aren't enough to dampen our spirits, though, and for the money the Samsung HT-X200 package is a highly appealing alternative to a budget surround sound system.