British audio brand Monitor Audio has launched a set of three speakers with the Radius Series 4G, which delivers “genuinely high-fidelity sound from speakers that are designed to be seen as well as heard”. This trio is made up of the Radius 1, the Radius 3, and the Radius On-Wall. As you might have guessed, the last of those can be wall-mounted.

It is set to be a “comprehensive reinvention” of the previous generation – the Radius Series 3G. Monitor Audio is making some strong claims with the new trio, saying that the technology has been developed to “raise the performance benchmark of the compact speaker category”.

You can use them as a multi-speaker system for both hi-fi and home cinema set-ups, and with the option of a multi-room configuration.

Under the hood, the brand is employing C-CAM (Ceramic-Coated Aluminium/Magnesium) cone technology with the driver design. Monitor Audio says this is more rigid and lightweight than conventional cone materials so it can deliver “impressive levels of fidelity”.

This is the fourth generation of the tech, and is employing RST III (Rigid Surface Technology) cone geometry that reduces resonances across the frequency range for a more accurate sound, according to Monitor Audio.

On top of that, the redesigned Gold Dome tweeter uses an external magnet motor system that the brand says acts more as a full drive unit rather than a traditional internal puck magnet.

You will also find Monitor Audio’s HiVe II (High-Velocity II) port design, which “supports smooth airflow and delivers tighter, more controlled bass performance”.

There is a range of add-ons on offer as well. That includes a Radius Floor Stand (£300 / $395) which features “wooden tripod legs for a modern aesthetic”, and a Desk Pad (£30 / $40) to offer a “stable platform with a subtle upward tilt”.

So, how much will the Radius speakers cost? The Radius 1 and Radius 3 will cost £425 / $525 and £575 / $725 per pair, respectively. The Radius On-Wall speaker will set you back a further £450 / $525.

Plenty of Monitor Audio’s speakers have received glowing reviews in our test room, from the Studio 89 stereo speakers to the Bronze 50 7G standmounts, both of which earned five stars. We will have to wait until we hear the Radius 4G Series in our test room, but the brand’s strong speaker history and versatile design make us hopeful.

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Sony has unveiled a new Bravia Theatre Trio Dolby Atmos system, promising that the premium unit will let movie fans hear films the way their directors “meant [them] to be experienced”.

The new system was unveiled today, alongside Sony’s latest Bravia 9 II and Bravia 7 II TVs. It targets the upper end of the market currently dominated by the five-star Samsung HW-Q990H soundbar system, which we reviewed recently.

As its name suggests, the Trio system comprises three speakers: a tiny central channel soundbar and two left and right channels.

Unlike most other wireless Dolby Atmos systems however, including the Q990H, the satellites are not rear-channel speakers. Instead, they are front-facing and aim to deliver a wider, clearer and generally more accurate soundstage. This, then, is more like a soundbar chopped into three parts than a traditional wireless system.

Sony is marketing the package as a top choice for people looking for an “authentic” home cinema experience.

It claims to have achieved this by designing the Trio “in close collaboration” with Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE).

“When we design sound for film, every choice is about guiding what the audience feels in a moment,” said Andrew DeCristofaro, sound designer at Sony Pictures Entertainment.

“The Bravia Theatre Trio brings that same intention into the home, letting people hear the detail, movement and balance the way we meant it to be experienced.”

The unit comes with a USB-C microphone, which Sony claims will let the Trio offer significantly more accurate room-calibration than most rivals.

Most soundbar calibration solutions, including Sonos Trueplay, use a connected smartphone’s mics. This, though, based on our experience, can produce varying results, which are heavily informed by the phone you’re using.

Under the hood, the system’s 3.0.2 Atmos configuration combines a total of nine speaker units. There are two cone woofers and a soft-dome tweeter in the central bar. Backing them up, each satellite has an upfiring Atmos height channel, soft-dome tweeter and bass-reflex unit.

Each part offers 135W of muscle, adding up to a 405W total power output for the combined package.

Despite the driver count, Sony claims that thanks to the inclusion of its 360 Spatial Sound Mapping (360SSM) tech, the Trio can generate a “24 phantom speaker” (we’re guessing that means virtual) surround sound experience.

The unit supports Dolby Atmos, DTS: X, and IMAX Enhanced formats and comes with Bluetooth and wi-fi connectivity baked in. Chromecast is not supported, but there's good news for Apple fans as AirPlay 2 is available.

For people looking to grow the system over time, Sony has confirmed the Trio is upgradable and can be expanded to include rear speakers and up to two wireless subwoofers. However, doing so will of course add to its already unashamedly premium price.

The base Sony Bravia Theatre Trio package will set you back £2000 (roughly $2700). Adding the Rear 9 satellites will then add £700 (roughly $950) to the bill.

There is a range of compatible subwoofer options: the Sub 7, Sub 8, Sub 9, SA-SW3, and SA-SW5. The top-end Sub 9 costs £900 (roughly $1215). The cheaper Sub 7 retails for £249 (roughly $335), and the Sub 8 comes in at £650 (around $875).

That makes it noticeably more expensive than the five-star Samsung Q990H, which cost £1599 ($2000) at launch. It also puts the Trio in direct competition with the Award-winning KEF XIO, which is the premium option we currently recommend in our best Dolby Atmos Soundbars guide.

We haven’t reviewed the Trio yet. But our TV and AV editor, Tom Parsons, has had an opening listen with it at Sony’s launch event in Japan. He walked away impressed, succinctly describing the experience as “awesome”.

We hope to get a review unit of the Trio in for testing soon, so watch this space. If you have any questions about the unit, drop them in the comments section below, and we’ll get you an answer as soon as possible.

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LG is clearly gunning for Sonos with its new Sound Suite.

Designed as a modular, multi-speaker home cinema platform, it pairs a flagship soundbar with wireless surrounds and a subwoofer to create a premium, stylish Dolby Atmos system that’s every bit as ambitious as its benchmark rival.

But LG is also bringing something genuinely new to the table in the form of Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, a technology designed to adapt to your room to a degree hitherto unseen.

It’s a bold move, but you know what they say about taking a shot at the king…

Price

LG refers to the Sound Suite configuration that we’re looking at as the Immersive Suite 7 Pro. It includes the H7 soundbar (which we have a separate review of), W7 subwoofer and two M7 speakers.

While bundle discounts feel likely in the future, buying the Sound Suite Immersive Suite 7 Pro as a package doesn’t currently confer a special price, so you still need to pay the full amount for the H7 (£900 / $1000), W7 (£600 / $600) and M7s (£400 / $400 per speaker), resulting in a full system price of £2300 / $2400 (Aussie pricing hasn’t yet been announced).

There’s an obvious rival here, in the form of the Sonos Premium Immersive Set With Arc Ultra, which consists of an Arc Ultra (£999 / $1099), Sub 4 (£799 / $899) and two Era 300s (£449 / $479 per speaker).

But while the cost of the separate components is higher if you go with Sonos, there are bundle discounts available that mean the full system currently costs a Sound Suite-beating £2086 / $2311.

That said, the pricing is close enough for these two systems to be considered in very much the same ballpark.

Design

This is a very smart-looking system.

The Sound Suite H7 soundbar is svelte and solid, with a low profile that won’t obstruct the bottom of many TVs and a lovely little display that clearly indicates the format of what’s being played but automatically dims after a set time so as not to distract from what you’re watching.

The mesh cover and metal trim give the H7 a premium look, and the raised icon buttons on the top are easy to find in the dark, should you need to.

The subwoofer and M7 speakers aren’t quite as weighty or solid-feeling as the bar (or their Sonos equivalents), but they are much larger than they look on paper, giving the system a substantial but stylish overall appearance.

It’s possible to wall-mount the soundbar and the surround speakers, and the subwoofer’s relatively slim design and flat back mean it can be positioned neatly against a wall.

The sub can even be laid flat if you prefer, and we can see some people choosing to slide it under their sofa. We find that subwoofers generally perform better when they have room to breathe than when they’re firing bassy frequencies straight up your bottom, but each to their own.

There’s some rather snazzy lighting towards the bottom edges of the soundbar and surrounds, and this can be customised in terms of both brightness and colour. You have a full palette to play with, which is pretty neat if you like that sort of thing (we do).

Features

This is one heck of a speaker-packed system. The H7 soundbar alone features eight full-range drivers (three in the front, three in the top and one in each end), four woofers (all up-firing) and eight passive radiators, which are both front and rear facing.

These work with clever processing (the bar features the same Alpha 11 Gen 3 processor as LG’s 2026 flagship TVs) to produce what the firm refers to as a 9.1.6-channel soundfield.

Each M7 speaker has three 38mm full-range drivers (two front-facing and one up-firing) and a woofer of its own, while the W7 sub boasts a 20cm driver that LG claims can deliver bass as deep as 25.9Hz.

When combined, this amounts to a 21-speaker system. Not enough for you? The Sound Suite system can accommodate up to two further speakers (either more M7s or smaller M5s), and your TV’s speakers, if said TV is a C5, G5, or one of its newer sets.

Arguably, the most interesting thing about the system, though, is the technology it uses to get these drivers working together to produce home cinema sound.

That technology is Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, so called because of the way it can flexibly accommodate less-than-ideal speaker placement. We’ll get to the effectiveness of this in the sound section, below (spoiler alert: it’s pretty flipping effective).

LG has worked closely with Dolby on Sound Suite, to the extent that this is the first family of products to support FlexConnect, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that DTS:X is not supported on top of Dolby Atmos.

Getting sound into the system is simple enough, but there is one obvious disappointment: there’s no dedicated HDMI input. Instead, you are expected to run any external sources into your TV first, and then back out of your TV and into the soundbar via eARC.

That’s neat, simple, and pretty common, even in soundbars at this level (the Sonos Arc Ultra is another offender), but it still isn’t welcome, and there are rivals that offer one (or more!) HDMI inputs and even full support for passthrough of 4K/120Hz signals.

Interestingly, this is also the first soundbar we can recall testing that has dropped the legacy optical connection. One suspects that very few people use the optical connection of a Dolby Atmos soundbar, not least because it lacks the ability to actually handle Dolby Atmos, but its lack here feels noteworthy nonetheless.

There are wireless ways to send music to Sound Suite, of course, including Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect.

Control is primarily handled via LG’s ThinQ app, which is broadly good but could be a little slicker in its handling of the Sound Suite system.

Getting everything connected to wi-fi proves more fiddly than it should, for instance. Each component has to be added individually, and for reasons that aren’t entirely clear, you must input your wi-fi password separately for each product rather than simply entering it once for the whole system.

The subwoofer, meanwhile, is added via a slightly different process to the soundbar and speakers, which adds to the sense that things could be more streamlined.

Once connected, the app is reasonably well laid out, and mercifully, Sound Suite doesn’t have dozens of baffling sound modes to wade through. Instead, there are just five presets (which LG slightly confusingly refers to as ‘Sound Effects’): AI Sound Pro+, Standard, Clear Voice Pro+, Bass Boost and Custom EQ.

Standard is the mode you’ll likely settle on (as discussed in the Sound section), while Clear Voice Pro+ is essentially a dialogue enhancer for those struggling with intelligibility. Bass Boost feels unnecessary given the system’s already generous low-end output, and the Custom EQ – which offers full manual adjustment – is best approached with caution unless you’re confident in what you’re doing.

AI Sound Pro+ is the most interesting of the presets, automatically analysing what you’re watching and adjusting the presentation accordingly. It also engages the AI Upmix feature, which converts incoming audio into a virtual 9.1.4-channel presentation. AI Upmix can be activated independently, but it cannot be disabled while AI Sound Pro+ is selected.

Dolby Atmos FlexConnect calibration is pleasingly swift. The system quickly assesses speaker positions and, assuming the master volume isn’t set too low, does a solid job of mapping the room.

Some aspects of the process feel slightly old-fashioned, though – notably the requirement to manually measure and input the distance between the soundbar and your listening position. Calibration is also carried out at the system’s current volume level, rather than an LG-defined volume that provides the best results, which seems a little unhelpful.

Within the Sound Settings menu you can trim the levels of the Subwoofer, Centre, Overhead and Side channels individually. There are also toggles for Dynamic Range Control and Auto Volume, though neither should be necessary in most set-ups (there’s a separate Night mode for those looking to temporarily reduce dynamics and bass weight). A separate Tone Settings menu allows independent adjustment of treble, mid and bass levels, providing additional scope for fine-tuning.

One particularly neat feature is the ‘Set Position’ button, which uses the FlexConnect technology to refocus the soundfield towards a different seating position at the press of a button. More on this below.

The app also allows you to assign a function to the heart-shaped shortcut button on the remote, though at present the options are limited to launching a specific internet radio station or Spotify playlist.

As hinted at, unlike the Sonos system, LG Sound Suite can also be operated via remote control, and a serviceable handset is included in the box with the H7 soundbar. It feels fairly light and plasticky, but the buttons are clearly labelled and logically arranged. Volume and input selection are easy to access, and the dedicated AI Sound mode button makes it simple to experiment with presets.

The absence of a dedicated Night Mode button, however, is a bit disappointing, as this is exactly the sort of feature you might want to engage quickly without having to dig into menus or reach for your phone.

Before getting into the nitty-gritty of the audio performance, it’s worth flagging that we did encounter some bugs during our week of testing the Sound Suite system.

Wi-fi connectivity proved temperamental at times, with certain components refusing to join the network on the first attempt and requiring multiple set-up passes through the app.

More concerning was an intermittent volume-control issue. On one occasion, the system powered on at an extremely high volume level – seemingly at or close to maximum – despite having previously been set much lower. The remote’s volume buttons reduced the volume number shown on the soundbar’s display, but the actual output didn’t change. The app, meanwhile, reported the volume as being set far lower than what we were hearing. Only after adjusting the level within the app did the system respond properly. Not a pleasant experience.

At another point, the remote appeared to control only the soundbar itself rather than the system as a whole, and lowering the volume to zero would silence the bar but not the wireless speakers. Curiously, after fully unplugging and reconnecting the system during comparative testing, the issue disappeared and did not return.

These issues weren’t constant, and they will likely be addressed via future firmware updates – this is a brand-new system, after all – but they’re worth noting for anyone who’s planning to go early with a Sound Suite system.

Sound

Before diving into the LG Sound Suite system at its best, it’s worth addressing the AI sound modes – because, while they’re impressively bombastic, they’re not how this system performs at its most convincing.

The AI Upmix feature expands the soundstage and adds scale and weight, but it also exaggerates background sounds and lends dialogue an artificial, slightly echoey quality. Voices become less natural and less clearly defined, even as the overall presentation grows in size.

AI Sound Pro+ takes things further still by also boosting bass and upper frequencies to an extent that further exaggerates some of the system’s less positive sonic traits, such as its limited finesse and lack of midrange fullness. The result is undeniably big, but also aggressive and shouty.

Standard mode is therefore the only sensible option for serious listening. It’s in this setting that the LG system sounds most coherent, balanced and representative of its true character.

And there is plenty to like.

With Blade Runner 2049, the system immediately demonstrates one of its standout strengths: Dolby Atmos placement. The floating audio adverts are positioned with impressive precision, each inhabiting a clearly defined point in space, with one in particular hanging strikingly high and to the left.

During the baseline test, the interviewer is placed further back in the room, creating a tangible sense of depth and separation between him and K. Joi’s disembodied voice in K’s apartment is similarly well placed, helping to create an impressive sense of three-dimensional space.

In fact, the LG places lots of effects more dramatically than the Sonos Arc Ultra system, pushing sounds further along the ceiling and creating a slightly more exaggerated overhead bubble.

Scale is another clear strength. This is a genuinely room-filling system, capable of projecting effects confidently from front to back and floor to ceiling.

The opening race at Daytona in F1: The Movie is delivered with thrilling impact. The commentary floats high above the listening position, fireworks streak cleanly across the ceiling, and the crunching impacts as cars trade blows along the banked section land with satisfying force. The presentation is bold, expansive and undeniably cinematic.

Even the most complex Atmos moments are handled with notable composure. The large-scale musical sequence in Sinners, with its genre-hopping strands and swirling overhead effects, fills the room from every angle without collapsing into chaos. The tonal consistency between the H7 soundbar and the M7 speakers helps maintain cohesion as sounds sweep around the soundfield.

The Dolby Atmos FlexConnect feature also deserves credit. As mentioned, the calibration process is quick and, provided you don’t set the volume too low, pretty accurate in identifying the position of each speaker.

The app also allows you to shift the sweet spot with a tap of the ‘Set Position’ button, effectively refocusing the soundfield towards a different seat.

In practice, this works far better than expected. Within reason, the system does a convincing job of re-centring the presentation, so that even when we move to increasingly off-axis and unconventional seating positions, dialogue and key effects remain anchored, and the overhead layer still feels properly aligned.

FlexConnect is similarly effective at compensating for less-than-ideal speaker placement. While you inevitably lose some of the pinpoint surround-left and surround-right specificity when the M7 speakers aren’t optimally positioned, the system continues to fill the room convincingly and can still place effects impressively high above the listening position. If one speaker is well placed and the other isn’t, your ears are drawn to the imbalance surprisingly infrequently.

That said, FlexConnect can’t perform miracles. With all speakers clustered towards the front of the room, it can’t convincingly swing effects fully over and behind the seating position. The Atmos presentation remains surprisingly spacious, but there are physical limits to what digital processing can achieve.

In short, it’s still well worth taking the time to position the speakers as well as possible, but FlexConnect is more capable than it really has any right to be, and certainly the best technology of its type that we’ve heard.

Bass performance, too, is impressive in terms of depth and power. During the infamously challenging Chapter 2 of Blade Runner 2049, the W7 subwoofer digs deep and delivers substantial low-frequency weight without obvious distortion. There’s more outright heft here than from the Sonos system, and it lends action scenes and musical crescendos real physical presence.

However, once the initial spectacle subsides, the system’s limitations become more apparent.

Even after calibration, the balance feels slightly skewed, with the soundbar a touch recessed against the surrounds and the subwoofer proving slightly domineering.

Each channel can be manually trimmed, but achieving a truly natural balance proves difficult. We frequently find ourselves reducing the subwoofer level, as it can become overbearing, occasionally introducing a broad, slightly indistinct rumble rather than tightly controlled punch.

By comparison, the Sonos system deploys its bass with greater precision and control, delivering punch without the same sense of excess.

Dialogue is, unfortunately, where the LG is at its weakest. While not overtly harsh, voices lack warmth, richness and dynamic subtlety. In the Vegas penthouse scene between K and Deckard in Blade Runner 2049, Harrison Ford’s voice sounds breathier and less expressive than it should, and this is a recurring theme with everything we watch.

Through the LG, voices simply sound flatter and less expressive, with a faint raspiness and a touch of sibilance that becomes noticeable over time. Emotional inflections are missed, reducing the sense of intimacy.

Even in Standard mode, background elements can sit too far forward in the mix. As K walks through the precinct in Blade Runner 2049, for example, the ambient buzz and chatter draw attention away from the opening dialogue of the baseline test. The Sonos keeps those elements more firmly in the background, resulting in a cleaner, more focused presentation.

Similarly, in F1, while the LG delivers scale and impact in abundance, the Sonos sounds tighter and more composed, with a more precise beginning and end to each effect and commentary that feels more naturally integrated into the soundfield.

Music playback follows a similar pattern. In Standard mode (the AI processing is once again best avoided here), the LG is punchy, energetic and very bassy. Olivia Dean’s Nice To Each Other has plenty of drive and momentum, and the low end is pretty tuneful and rhythmic, if slightly overplayed. The system is certainly engaging, at least on a surface level.

But, disappointingly predictably, vocals lack warmth, texture and dynamic subtlety, sounding slightly raspy and inorganic. The Sonos delivers significantly greater clarity, expressive nuance and overall realism, drawing you closer to the performance. The LG, on the other hand, feels as though it’s putting a veil between you and the singer.

Also, while not bright, the Sound Suite’s treble is rather sibilant and insistent, drawing the ear in a faintly annoying way and distracting from the more important elements of a track. This issue manifests with pretty much everything we play: it’s in the steel strings of the acoustic guitar in Agape by Bear’s End, the hi-hat in Progress by Public Service Broadcasting, and the synthetic snaps and maracas in Waterbreathing by Che-Yung.

If you’re wondering to what extent the soundbar is dictating the system’s sonic character, it’s worth noting that the M7 speakers have very similar traits. Using one of them in isolation reveals the same punchy but somewhat aggressive and cold approach to sound.

This familial resemblance is what allows the Sound Suite system as a whole to reproduce those surround and Atmos effects so effectively, but it also reinforces the system’s slightly hard-edged presentation and makes the M7 a rather synthetic speaker in its own right. The Sonos Era 300 is a much more accomplished and musical standalone performer.

Verdict

LG’s Sound Suite is an ambitious and genuinely innovative attempt to take on Sonos at the top of the premium soundbar system tree.

Dolby Atmos FlexConnect isn’t a gimmick – it’s an impressively effective technology that (in LG’s hands at least) delivers convincing height, scale and spatial precision even when speaker placement isn’t ideal.

And, at its best, Sound Suite is thrilling, producing a large, room-filling presentation with dramatic overhead effects and deep, powerful bass.

But while LG has nailed spectacle, it’s fallen short on subtlety. The overall balance tends towards the cold and slightly aggressive, with bass that can dominate and dialogue that lacks warmth, richness and expressive nuance.

If scale and flexibility are your priorities, Sound Suite impresses. For all-round sonic sophistication, though, it’s a fair way behind the best in class.

SCORES

• Sound 3
• Features 4
• Build 4

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Best soundbars: options for every need, recommended by our experts

Working at What Hi-Fi? has a lot of benefits. Access to our overlord Future Publishing’s infinite holiday scheme, occasionally getting paid to watch movies in our windowless test room (known internally and affectionately as the dungeon), and, of course, access to all the latest and greatest home cinema hardware money can buy.

On that final point, I was particularly excited this week when a key piece of hardware I have long been waiting for arrived in the dungeon. To be precise, a next-generation wireless Dolby Atmos surround sound system with the firm’s swanky FlexConnect tech.

Editor’s Note: We can’t reveal which specific product, but I will be on hand, dishing out good Karma to any reader who successfully guesses which one it is.

What is Dolby FlexConnect, you ask? Well, eager beavers, it’s a cool, sort-of new technology that was unveiled by Dolby all the way back in 2023 at the IFA tradeshow in Berlin.

It may have been baking in the oven for quite a while now, but it still looks like a tasty treat that, if it delivers on the firm’s marketing claims, could make Atmos far more accessible, in two key ways.

First and foremost, it aims to do this by making Atmos a platform where you can mix and match speakers from different brands, or even use your TV’s speakers as a central channel in lieu of a soundbar, to make a wireless system.

So, in theory, if you had a mishmash of FlexConnect-compatible speakers from different manufacturers, you could turn them into a Frankenstein Dolby Atmos surround sound system.

We have covered why this makes us, as a team, nervous – you want speakers to have a complementary sonic character for decent results. And, because the system we have in our test room is from one manufacturer, I won’t be able to ascertain if those concerns are warranted yet.

The second benefit or the new tech, which in theory would also help with the above, is its claimed more accurate and powerful calibration powers. These are mainly being marketed as being designed to help systems, even those mixing speakers from different lines and companies, play nicely together.

But an equally important benefit of these set-up improvements is how they also aim to allow you place your speakers wherever you like, without destroying the cinematic experience.

I have highlighted before the difficulties many people will face getting a full-fat Dolby Atmos 5.1.2 system into their home (for optimal results, as is the case with any audio system, placement makes a big difference).

But the truth is, even a wireless soundbar system, which doesn’t have ceiling speakers, such as the Award-winning Samsung Q990F from last year, can be a struggle for many people.

This is because most “normal” living rooms aren’t laid out so that the satellite speakers can be placed in their optimal position (which is usually just behind the left and right sides of the intended viewing area/sofa). Many people place their sofa flush against a wall, of course. And even if they do have space behind it, they don’t have stands, or furniture naturally placed in the optimal position or at the right height for the rear left and right channels.

FlexConnect aims to fix this common problem by offering intelligent new “calibration” powers that will allow them to deliver a decent experience even with “unorthodox” positioning. And I mean unorthodox.

In FlexConnect’s marketing material, and based on the conversations I’ve had with companies, it is designed to work in extreme scenarios.

Extreme as in, for example, if the speakers are set at different heights and distances from the viewer. I’m talking the left channel being on a bookshelf nearly directly behind the sofa, with the right speaker set horizontally to it.

In my experience, no system, at least of the many I have helped test, sounds good in arrangements such as this – even the five-star products with excellent room correction powers.

So, momentarily putting aside the laws of physics, that’s a pretty bold claim. And it's definitely a major selling point for FlexConnect, if it works.

Which is why, as much as I’m excited to test a FlexConnect system in general, the first thing I’ll be doing when I get into the dungeon next week is playing a game of move the speaker. Then I can discover just how powerful the tech’s calibration and optimisation powers really are.

It’s going to be fun…

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It's a battle of the British hi-fi Titans today; and this time it's being fought on the home cinema battleground.

We are pitting two five-star 5.1 surround sound speaker packages against one another. Each is a fierce competitor – and a What Hi-Fi? Award-winners at that – but which one is worth your hard-earned cash?

In the KEF corner, we have the Q Concerto Meta 5.1 Speaker System, which combines the talents of the Q Concerto Meta standmount speakers, Q1 Meta bookshelf speakers, Q6 Meta centre channel, and Kube 12 MIE powered subwoofer.

And in the Bowers & Wilkins corner, it's the three-time Product of the Year winning 606 and 607 S3 Speaker Package. This includes the 606 S3 standmount speakers, 607 S3 standmount speakers, HTM6 S3 centre channel, and ASW610 subwoofer.

Both sound great, and they look good too, but which should take pride of place in your home cinema setup?

KEF vs Bowers & Wilkins: price

These two launched with a pretty significant price disparity, but the current-day story brings something of a plot twist.

When we reviewed each of these speaker packages, we found that neither was available to purchase at an all-in-one bundle price. This meant that we tested the KEF package at £3146 / $4050 / AU$5650, and the Bowers & Wilkins package at £2496 / $3799 / AU$3947 – those prices established by adding the cost of each component separately.

However, since we bestowed these systems with five-star reviews and various Awards, retailers have begun selling the packages as convenient bundles, with all components supplied together.

The Bowers & Wilkins system can now be found at a heavily discounted price of £1999 (at Sevenoaks Sound & Vision), whereas the KEF package is down to an all-in-one price of £2549.

It's worth noting that these systems don't seem to be sold in bundles outside the UK.

That still gives the Bowers & Wilkins system an edge in the pricing department; however, the KEF can be found at a much more comparable price than initially seemed likely.

**Winner: Bowers & Wilkins**

KEF vs Bowers & Wilkins: design

We won't beat around the bush here; there's one speaker package that we have been swooning over ever since it strutted into our home cinema testing room late last year.

The KEF Q Concerto Meta 5.1 package is a rather handsome set of speakers, especially in the all-black finish that adorns our review sample. The finish is good too; the whole system is furnished in solid-feeling wood cabinets and wrapped in quality vinyl.

This is the more expensive package of the two, but its more premium feel goes some way to justifying the extra outlay.

The Bowers & Wilkins package, on the other hand, still looks and feels rather nice and is plenty premium enough for the asking price. It looks suitably suave in all three of its available finishes; but the little touches make the KEF system the better-looking of the duo.

The top-mounted KEF tab on the front and surround speakers, paired with the fossil-like waveguide, Uni-Q driver array (more on that in a moment), and sharp lines, really seal the deal.

We should note that you will need to invest in appropriate speaker stands to accommodate either of these systems – unless you want to set them up at shin-height, which we wouldn't recommend.

**Winner: KEF**

KEF vs Bowers & Wilkins: features

Each brand features its own proprietary driver technology throughout their respective speaker packages.

KEF employs its Uni-Q driver array, which places the tweeter in the centre of the mid-range driver, and accompanies the company's “tangerine waveguide”, which supposedly removes the traditional “sweet-spot” position that is a common factor with other speakers, producing an overall wider dispersion of sound throughout your listening space.

This is backed up by the company's Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT), which is claimed to “absorb 99 per cent of the unwanted noise from the rear of the driver for pure and natural sound”, according to KEF.

Taking a closer look at each component, the Q Concerto Meta speakers feature a 10cm aluminium midrange driver combined with a 19mm vented aluminium dome tweeter in the Uni-Q array configuration, alongside a 16.5cm hybrid-cone bass driver with a rear-firing port that's used to tune the lower frequencies.

The Q6 Meta centre channel sports an almost identical driver setup, but it sports an additional bass driver.

The Q1 Metas have a slightly larger Uni-Q array, comprising a 25mm vented aluminium dome tweeter with MAT, and a 130mm aluminium cone for mid/bass purposes.

As we reference in our review, “while that driver is a few millimetres bigger, it’s also expected to do a lot more due to the lack of a dedicated bass driver.”

Finally, the Kube 12 MIE features a 12-inch woofer, powered by 300W of Class D amplification.

Jumping over to the Bowers & Wilkins package, the 606 S3, 607 S3, and HTM6 S3 speakers all feature the company's titanium-dome tweeter, accompanied by midrange and bass drivers made of B&W’s Continuum cone material.

The 606 S3 sports a 25mm-dome tweeter and a 16.5cm-cone driver, whereas the 607 S3 surround speakers feature the same dome tweeter and a slightly smaller 13cm-cone driver. The HTM6 is most akin to the surround speakers, with the same 25mm tweeter and two 13cm mid/bass drivers.

Rounding things out, the B&W ASW610 subwoofer features a 25cm paper and aramid fibre cone long-throw driver and 200W of Class D amplification.

Taking stock, we find that the KEF package is the more fully featured of the two. It sports larger drivers for the front speakers, with KEF's Award-winning MAT technology, alongside a more powerful subwoofer and the Uni-Q driver array that features in many other What Hi-Fi? Award-winning speakers.

**Winner: KEF**

KEF vs Bowers & Wilkins: sound

This is the all-important category in this head-to-head speaker package comparison. So which surround sound system comes out on top?

Well, the good (and diplomatic) answer is that both of these surround sound packages sound fantastic, hence why they proudly sit shoulder to shoulder on our current Awards list. We'll start with the B&W package as it is defending its place as our Award-winner for three consecutive years.

We pretty much had only good things to say about the 606 & 607 S3 package's sound performance in our review, citing its warm, rich and detailed sonic signature as being a key component as to why we score it so highly. It blends insight and agility, without sounding too lean or skipping important details; it truly ticks all of the boxes.

We find it to be dynamically impressive at each end of the scale, too. The delicate handling of low-level dynamics captures the subtle inflexions of emotion in dialogue, whereas the system's extraordinary subwoofer delivers punchy, controlled and tonally varied bursts of bass when required.

This is all packaged in a system that works harmoniously, with no obvious sonic mismatches or conflicts, and the dispersion of sound means that no obvious gaps are left between the channels.

If there is one small drawback to this system, it would be the scale of the sound. It's by no means a deficiency of the system as a whole, but compared with other speaker systems we have tested, we find that the B&W package isn't as spacious or large-scale as others on the market.

This is where the KEF system steps in. It delivers all of the above, and more.

We rave, in our review, about its rich, powerful sound that ticks all of the boxes. Detail, agility, dynamics, timing; it's all here, and it handles all of this with an added sense of scale that helps tip the scales into KEF's favour.

All of this comes at the minor expense of a slightly less tuneful subwoofer, but its controlled and precise bass presentation ensures it remains a very worthy component of this Award-winning system.

What really seals the deal is the KEF's seriously impressive centre channel. It delivers crisp and deeply detailed dialogue to an extent that it almost feels as if the characters are in the room with you. This natural, balanced and rich sound is supported by the talented Q Concerto Meta front speakers, which capture fine details with ease, and the Q1 Meta speakers are the icing on the cake, delivering a tonally matched surround sound experience.

**Winner: KEF**

KEF vs Bowers & Wilkins: verdict

The truth is that you would find little to complain about if you pick either of these systems, as they both deliver high-quality cinematic sound. That being said, the KEF system puts the extra outlay to good use, as it comes wrapped in a more stylish design, and puts an emphasis on upping the ante when it comes to scale and subtlety.

Bowers & Wilkins has delivered an impressive speaker system in its own right, so if you're looking for something slightly more compact and a touch cheaper, you definitely won't be disappointed if you opt for the B&W package.

**Overall winner: KEF**

MORE:

Check out our full list of the best surround sound speaker systems

As well as the best AV receivers

And read our full Fyne Audio F500E AV Pack 2 review

LG announced it is bringing a highly anticipated Dolby Atmos feature to its upcoming OLED and Mini LED TVs at CES 2026. However, a new update confirms that several older sets will also be getting the feature.

Native Dolby Atmos FlexConnect support is coming to LG’s 2026 premium TV lineup, including the W6, G6, C6, CS6, B6, B6E OLEDs, as well as the MRGB95, MRGB9M and MRGB85 RGB Mini LED TVs when they launch later this year.

This means you'll be able to connect the M5 or M7 wireless speakers directly to the TV for seamless, flexible audio output.

But, if you already have an LG G5 or C5 OLED TV and want Dolby Atmos FlexConnect without upgrading, then you're in luck.

The AV giant has announced that the 2025 models mentioned above will support the wireless immersive audio feature with a forthcoming update. An exact date as to when the update will arrive has not yet been provided.

There are a couple of catches to be mindful of here. The first is that even though other FlexConnect speakers are on the market, namely the TCL Z100, only LG's speakers will be supported, meaning you'll have to opt for the M5 or M7 if you want wireless surround sound on your LG TV.

As we've recently reported, the LG Sound Suite speaker prices are towards the premium end of the scale, with the M7 directly competing with Sonos' Era 300 Dolby Atmos speaker.

Secondly, LG hasn't confirmed if FlexConnect is coming to the M5 wireless OLED TV. This would be an odd omission, as a wireless sound system seems like a perfect match for a TV whose primary intention is to cut cords.

Supplying the mid-range model with a new feature and skipping the flagship TV from the 2025 range would also be a strange move from LG, so we've reached out for confirmation.

We had a brief hands-on demo of LG's FlexConnect-enabled Sound Suite system at CES 2026, and found it made a very strong first impression. Configuring the speakers seemed simple, and the surround sound effect from a quartet of M7 speakers was impressive indeed.

We will, of course, need to test the new speaker range in our home cinema testing room before we pass any final verdict.

MORE:

What is Dolby Atmos FlexConnect?

Read our LG G6 hands-on review

Check out our picks for the best surround sound speakers

If you've been in the market for a new AV receiver and speaker package, then we'd strongly recommend the latest bundle from Peter Tyson.

The bundle pairs the showstopping Marantz Cinema 30 AVR and cinematic Fyne Audio F500E AV Pack 2, which we've just reviewed.

Normally, the two items would set you back £5748, but right now Peter Tyson is offering this at an all-in-one price of £4999. That's a saving of nearly £750 on an Award-winning amplifier, and a sound system that delivers punchy, cinematic sound.

Why is it such a great deal? We'll start with the Award-winning Marantz Cinema 30, which we've already praised countless times before. It wraps up bold, smooth and rich cinematic sound inside a classy and luxurious design to create an AVR that we can't resist.

It continues to be our reference AV amplifier in our home cinema testing room thanks to its clear and detailed nature, and the wide range of features on board (including seven HDMI 2.1 sockets and a raft of wireless streaming options) ensure its built to handle anything you can plug into it.

The icing on the cake is the fool-proof setup system, which uses Audyssey room calibration via an included microphone to adapt the sound to your listening space, and handle all sorts of speaker measurements (such as distances and levels) automatically.

Moving on to the recently-reviewed Fyne Audio F500E, we have a surround sound system that isn't quite perfect, but it is very enjoyable to listen to.

We identified the crisp and engaging F501E floorstanders as the highlight of this system, as they ensure that movies and music are presented with plenty of detail. We also have to give the F3.10 subwoofer kudos for its deep and agile bass, which adds to the dramatic and cinematic nature of this system.

While we wish that the F502E LCR was a bit more forthright and dynamic with voices, this system impressed us as a whole. We actually tested it with the very Marantz AVR mentioned above, so we can attest that this is a solid pairing if you're after big cinematic sound.

If convenience is your priority, then this bundle includes the key components (you'll just need to add speaker cables) to get your surround sound system set up. And at a £749 discount, we can also vouch for the savings.

MORE:

Read our Marantz Cinema 30 review here

As well as our full Fyne Audio F500E AV Pack 2 review

And check out our picks for the best surround sound systems

Fyne Audio made waves in our hi-fi testing room with its F501E floorstanding speakers, earning a coveted Product of the Year title in 2025. You can, therefore, imagine our excitement when Fyne revealed that it offers a full 5.1 surround sound system that features these speakers in the headlining spot.

However, as any concert-goer knows, a good headliner is even better when it's backed up by a talented support act, and with the Fyne Audio F5E scoring a still admirable, but not perfect, four stars recently, we do have some reservations about whether this system can rival the likes of the Award-winning KEF and Bowers & Wilkins systems.

And we can’t forget about the centre channel and subwoofer, as these components take two pairs of stereo speakers and make them into a fully fledged surround sound system, which Fyne is calling the F500E AV Pack 2. Yes, an AV Pack 1 exists, though it swaps the front speakers for an additional pair of F5E speakers.

With all that in mind, can Fyne Audio deliver a 5.1 system that ticks all of our boxes? Simply put, the F500E AV Pack 2 is certainly cinematic, but it’s also a little rough around the edges…

Price

Breaking that £2500 total price down, we have the F501E floorstanders for £999, the F5E surround speakers for £399, the F502E LCR centre speaker for £600, and the F3.10 subwoofer for £500.

At the time of writing, Peter Tyson is offering the speakers as a bundle, somewhat confusingly under the name 'Fyne Audio F501e 5.1 Speaker Package', but with a big discount that takes the all-in price down to £2249.

Other retailers may soon offer a bundle, too, and even those that don't might well be willing to match the Peter Tyson price if you ask nicely.

You’ll notice that we’re only including UK pricing here. That's because certain components – namely the centre channel and subwoofer – don’t seem to be available in the US and Australia.

Competition in this price range is surprisingly fierce. The Fyne Audio package is among Award-winning peers, including the Bowers & Wilkins 606/607 S3 speaker package, which we reviewed at £2496 but can now be found for around £1999.

KEF also sells its mighty Q Concerto Meta 5.1 package for £2549 at select retailers. While that is a step up in price, the performance increase may well justify the additional outlay, as we’ll find out later in this review.

Build

If we had to distil our feelings towards the styling of the F501E system down to one word, it would be “functional”.

The floorstanding speakers that make up a predominant portion of this system look neat, and the black ash vinyl finish feels high-quality enough to the touch, but they don’t spark the same allure that the trendy KEF Q Concerto Meta speakers do in that Award-winning 5.1 system.

You’ll also need to ensure you have ample space, as they measure in at a substantial 98 x 25 x 29cm (hwd).

Thankfully, the modest F5E bookshelf speakers are less demanding, as they only measure 27 x 17 x 23cm, though you will have to provide and factor in the space requirements for a pair of speaker stands, or you can wall-mount them if your space allows.

Furthermore, they’re wrapped in the same black ash vinyl, which looks smart enough, but doesn’t exude a luxurious feel, as is present with the similarly priced KEF and B&W packages.

This sentiment is most felt in the bulky F502E LCR centre speaker, which measures in at 25 x 68 x 25cm. It’s designed to be wall-mounted, and it features screw hooks on the back to support this, but the sheer size of it means that your TV or projector screen will have to be fairly high up to accommodate its height.

Also, we could not find any attachable rubber feet in the box to use this in a tabletop set-up. However, as the sound section of this review will reveal, that may be intentional.

The F3.10 subwoofer measures 34 x 41 x 39cm, and it’s wrapped in a matching black ash vinyl finish, which complements the rest of the components nicely.

Overall, the exposed screws, basic styling and mismatch of speaker sizes can make this system look somewhat slapdash, which is slightly disappointing when we look at Fyne Audio’s wider range of eye-catching hi-fi speakers.

Features

Fyne Audio’s IsoFlare point source driver array is front and centre in this system, literally, and it’s also found in the surround speakers too.

This proprietary driver, in which the tweeter sits in the throat of the mid/bass unit, has previously been reserved for higher-end models within Fyne’s speaker ranges; however, it’s trickled down to the more affordable F501E and F5E stereo speakers, as well as the F502 LCR centre speaker.

The F501E speakers sport a 2.5-way design, with a downward-firing port that utilises the company’s BassTrax Tractrix diffuser technology, which aims to deliver more uniform bass dispersion around your listening space.

These floorstanders each sport a 15cm multi-fibre mid/bass driver with a 25mm titanium dome compression tweeter, paired with a 15cm multi-fibre bass driver.

The F5E, on the other hand, feature a 2-way design, with a 125mm IsoFlare, multi-fibre mid/bass driver, with a 19mm titanium dome compression tweeter. Much like their floorstanding counterparts, these bookshelf speakers also have a downward-firing port with Fyne Audio’s BassTrax Tractix diffuser.

The F502E LCR, on the other hand, sports a 2.5-way design with a 200mm IsoFlare multi-fibre mid/bass driver with a 25mm titanium dome compression tweeter, flanked by electromagnetically damped 20cm bass and 20cm ABR drivers.

Rounding things out with the F3.10 subwoofer, which pairs a 25cm woofer with 450W of amplification. Fyne has outfitted a down-firing low-turbulence port, which it says will deliver “consistent in-room performance”.

Sound

The most important aspect of any home cinema speaker system is, of course, how it sounds. Considering that the F501E proved to be a hit in our hi-fi testing room, and the F5E also scored admirably, we have high hopes (and expectations) for the sonic capabilities of this system.

We’ve paired the F501E package with our reference Marantz Cinema 30 amplifier, alongside the Oppo UDP 203 4K Blu-ray player, which is sadly no longer on sale. We also have the KEF Q Concerto Meta 5.1, and Bowers & Wilkins 606/607 S3 speaker packages on hand as two Award-winning reference points to compare the Fyne system with.

Starting with Marvel’s Thunderbolts*, we immediately deduce that the main objective of this speaker system is to deliver a sound with immense cinematic scale. The sequence in which the group of anti-heroes escape a facility with the seemingly non-super-powered Bob is conveyed with a serious dose of punch, which heightens the excitement throughout.

As the thunderous score reaches its crescendo after a shocking revelation about Bob, we find it hard not to get drawn into the scene, thanks to the Fyne’s bold and dramatic dynamic shifts.

While scale is prioritised, we’re pleased to find that detail isn’t sacrificed as a result. The crispness and clarity of the F501E floorstanders are a huge benefit to the system as a whole, as details are captured throughout the scene with plenty of texture.

Switching to Blade Runner 2049 to assess the low-end capabilities of the subwoofer, we find the F3.10 to deliver weighty and agile bass that does a solid job of building tension in the infamous chapter two sequence.

Some fuzz does creep in during the deepest parts of the sequence, and it isn’t as taut or snappy as its rivals. Nevertheless, the Fyne subwoofer does a solid job of adding some low-end oomph to the system.

What's more, this system nails the “surround” aspect of “surround sound”. The cat and mouse chase sequence in No Time To Die, in which 007 has to evade a group of henchmen in 4x4s and on motorcycles, is presented in a way that puts us immediately into the centre of the action, with effects passing around our seating position and towards the surround speakers with solid accuracy and fluidity.

This does, however, bring us to the biggest drawback of the system. While the surround effect is convincing, we wouldn’t necessarily say that there is much cohesion when it comes to the sonic character of each component.

This is most felt with the centre speaker, which can sometimes feel at odds with the rest of the system. While the F501E floorstanders deliver quite a clean, clear and engaging sound, the F502E LCR can sound a bit softer and less defined.

We should note that this centre speaker seems to perform better when placed against a wall; however, even in the optimal position, we find that voices lack purity and can sound somewhat recessed.

The F5E surround speakers aren’t a perfect match either, meaning that we sometimes notice a slight sonic mismatch here, too.

This becomes more evident when we compare this system with the KEF and B&W alternatives, both of which feature stellar sonic cohesion across their respective components, and handle dialogue with detail and consideration in equal measures.

We find that both of these systems offer a more agile and precise sound, too, whereas the Fyne package continues to prioritise scale and cinematic punch at the expense of some dexterity.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing. The F500E package proves to be an exciting and engaging surround sound system throughout our testing, and we find ourselves appreciating the sheer magnitude of the sound this system produces. That being said, its Award-winning peers offer a bit more in terms of sonic subtlety.

Verdict

The Fyne Audio F500E Pack 2 has many positive attributes, and it will appeal to anyone who favours big, punchy and broad cinematic sound. It can be fairly revealing thanks to the detailed and crisp F501E front speakers, but as good as these floorstanders are, we feel as though the rest of the system can let them down.

The F5E surrounds aren’t miles off, and they play a key role in delivering a truly impressive surround sound effect, but the centre channel is less appealing, thanks to its bulky frame and softer sonic characteristics.

Still, while the system as a whole falls short of true greatness, there's still much enjoyment to be found in its bold delivery.

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Build 4
• Features 4

MORE:

Read our review of the Bowers & Wilkins 606/607 S3 Speaker Package

Also consider the KEF Q Concerto Meta 5.1 Speaker System

Read our Dali Oberon 5 5.1 Speaker Package review

Best surround sound systems: home cinema speakers and soundbars put to the test

I’ve already gone on the record to say that I’ve got high hopes for LG’s fancy new Sound Suite system.

LG clearly has high hopes, too, judging from the pricing we’ve just received.

Sound Suite consists of four products – an H7 soundbar, W7 subwoofer, and the M7 and M5 wireless speakers – that can be mixed and matched, so you can build a system to suit your requirements and room.

It’s also one of the first systems to feature Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, which is designed to produce convincing Dolby Atmos sound regardless of the placement of the individual components.

So, you can buy the H7 soundbar on its own, or with the W7 sub and/or a pair of either of the speakers. In that way, it’s rather like a Sonos Arc Ultra, which can be bought and used solo, or partnered with one of Sonos’s subwoofers and/or its Era speakers.

But with Sound Suite, if you have one of LG’s latest and greatest TVs, that can act as the FlexConnect hub and be partnered directly with the sub and/or speakers – no soundbar required.

In total, LG says that there are 27 potential Sound Suite configurations, and that it’s possible to build a 13.1.7-channel system if you so wish.

You will need very deep pockets if you want to go that far, though, because LG has given Sound Suite some very premium pricing in the UK and US (Australian pricing is TBC).

That pricing is as follows:

• H7 soundbar: £1000 / $1000
• W7 subwoofer: £700 / $600
• M7 wireless speaker: £450 / $400
• M5 wireless speaker: £200 / $250

So, the H7 soundbar is priced the same as the awesome, What Hi-Fi? Award-winning Sonos Arc Ultra in the UK (though it is cheaper in the US). That’s a bold move indeed, especially considering LG’s less-than-stellar (albeit improving) recent record in soundbar audio quality.

If you want to build a full system that features the H7 soundbar, W7 sub, and a pair of M7 surrounds, you’re looking at an all-in price of £2600 / $2000.

That’s even more than you would currently pay for Sonos’s top-of-the-range Ultimate Immersive Set with Arc Ultra in the UK (£2426), though admittedly less than the cost of the system in the US ($2806).

Bear in mind that the Sonos system includes a pair of the five-star Era 300 speakers as well as the Award-winning Arc Ultra and flagship Sub 4, and you can see that LG has picked a fight with the toughest kid in school with its Sound Suite pricing.

That’s a real statement of intent, and I think it’s great for Sonos to have a new, ambitious rival. But can LG really overthrow the incumbent?

We will be comparing the two systems side by side as part of our Sound Suite review – stay tuned for that in the coming weeks.

MORE:

LG Sound Suite looks like a great mash-up of Sonos and Sony, but I have one slight concern

Here are the best soundbars and best surround sound systems you can buy right now

The dazzling lights of Las Vegas can often be overwhelming, so there's nothing better to bring you down to Earth than sitting in a $70,000 Mercedes Benz that's filled to the brim with tech, lighting and speakers.

That's exactly how I started my year, as I had barely digested my turkey and finished unwrapping my Christmas gifts before I stepped onto an 11-hour flight to Nevada to cover the biggest home cinema announcements of the year at CES 2026.

Among the companies I caught up with at CES was Dolby, which had plenty of exciting announcements regarding Dolby Atmos, and it also finally gave us a clearer picture of Dolby Vision 2.

I'm sticking with the former for now, as Dolby gave me one of my favourite Atmos demos in years, and it had nothing to do with movies.

I'm stepping out of my home cinema comfort zone here to talk about in-car audio, a subject area that I am frankly quite new to.

While I can appreciate a good sound system in a car after attuning my ears to countless home cinema surround sound systems, I've also sat in plenty of my friends' cars, which have Bluetooth speakers lodged into the cupholder due to malfunctioning stereo systems.

Therefore, when Dolby was talking me through its selection of Atmos-equipped vehicles, which were neatly arranged in the Dolby Live Theatre, I couldn't help but take its endorsement with a heavy dose of scepticism.

I mean, do you really need Dolby Atmos in your car? As it turns out, yes, you do.

I tried the immersive audio tech in two of the four cars on show; one being the Mercedes-Benz GLC (which featured a sound system from legendary hi-fi manufacturer Burmester) and the other a luxurious Cadillac Escalade IQ (outfitted with a sound system from AKG).

The Mercedes-Benz gets bonus points, as it's one of the first cars in the world to feature Dolby Atmos over wireless Apple CarPlay (with Apple Music), whereas previous Dolby Atmos-equipped vehicles have required users to stream music directly through the built-in infotainment system in order to access the immersive audio format.

My demos also included music being streamed directly from the cars' smart systems via the likes of Amazon Music HD and Tidal, and I was even shown an excerpt of the 1984 audiobook via Audible.

Despite my scepticism, the 3D audio presented in the cabins of both vehicles absolutely blew me away.

I was treated to a demonstration of a few tracks, including Pink Floyd's Money, Elton John's Rocket Man, Prince's When Doves Cry and Tiesto's BOOM.

All of these tracks sounded crisp, richly detailed and, most importantly, super immersive as every speaker in the cabin of the car was put to work.

Sound travelled organically throughout the car, with some effects even coming from the very back of the vehicle (literally from the boot, or trunk for our American readers) and travelling all the way up to the driver's position.

In the case of 1984, the included background effects were placed throughout the cabin in a way that transformed it into an immersive audio drama, putting me (who was luckily seated in the driver's position) directly into the centre of the action.

I immediately pictured a long road trip with my favourite playlist blasting through the Atmos-equipped sound systems of both cars. The plush leather interiors and huge screens helped to sell the vision, of course.

In all honesty, it makes sense that Dolby Atmos works well in a car. An enclosed cabin with speakers placed all around it is, in theory, the perfect environment for Atmos to thrive.

It requires a different level of processing compared to the usual home cinema setting that we're used to experiencing Atmos in; however, 3D music has been on the rise thanks to support from the likes of Apple Music, Amazon Music and Tidal.

Admittedly, Dolby Atmos music isn't for everyone. Hi-fi purists may take umbrage with the processing, and it doesn't work perfectly for every song. But as a long-time Apple Music subscriber, I've grown to appreciate the immersive audio format for music.

I should also mention that your mileage may vary (pun intended) depending on the track you use. Not all Atmos mixes are created equally, and I'm acutely aware that Dolby likely demonstrated these systems with the better Atmos mixes out there, but that's to be expected.

While the cars that Dolby was showing off at its CES presentation were outside of my budget (I'll be sticking to the London Underground for now), Dolby does have an aftermarket Atmos solution.

It's partnered with Pioneer for the launch of SPHERA, which can take the spot of your current car stereo system to enable Atmos with your car's existing speaker set-up.

The catch here is that very few cars out there have height speakers built in, but Dolby claims that a virtualised Atmos processing system, akin to the one found in Dolby Atmos soundbars that don't feature height speakers, such as the Sonos Beam Gen 2, will be used.

Will it rival the pricey Mercedes and Cadillac motors that I experienced at CES? Probably not, but having the option to enable Atmos on older vehicles is certainly a step in the right direction.

So, should you consider Dolby Atmos when picking your next car? If your budget allows, and you're serious about sound on the go, then absolutely.

However, it has to be heard to be believed, and I wouldn't blame you for being as sceptical as I was. There are, of course, more important things to consider when investing in a new car, but for audiophiles, this is a feature that's certainly worth looking into.

MORE:

Everything you need to know about Dolby Atmos

Listen to our favourite Dolby Atmos test tracks here

7 things I’ve learned testing in-car hi-fi for a decade

LG has gone early with a lot of its CES announcements, having briefed us on several of its new products ahead of the big event, which kicks off this weekend.

There’s the brand’s first RGB Mini LED TV and a new ‘Gallery TV’ to take on Samsung’s The Frame range, for starters, but what I’m most intrigued about, and excited to test, is its new Sound Suite range of home cinema speakers.

This is one of the first systems that will use Dolby Atmos FlexConnect – a technology designed to deliver serious Dolby Atmos sound from wireless speakers that are super-flexible about placement.

In that sense, it’s rather like Sony’s Bravia Quad and preceding HT-A9 systems, which each feature four wireless speakers that produce a really impressive bubble of Dolby Atmos sound even when placed in sonically imperfect positions.

But the LG Sound Suite system goes further in terms of flexibility, partly through the use of Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, which is said to be more accommodating than any previous tech, but more through the mix-and-match approach to speakers.

So, while those two Sony systems are packages of four identical speakers, LG Sound Suite is a family of four different products that can be mixed and matched as required.

The core component is the H7 soundbar, which can be bought and used solo or partnered with the W7 subwoofer, and/or the M7 and/or M5 surround speakers. In that way, it’s rather like a Sonos home theatre system built around a Sonos Arc Ultra.

But if you have one of LG’s newest premium TVs (the G5, C5 and QNED9M are specifically listed alongside a vague mention of 2026 models), this can act as the hub for the Sound Suite system, giving you the option to skip the soundbar and go for a setup much more akin to the Sony packages I mentioned.

LG claims that there are 27 potential Sound Suite configurations in total, and that it’s possible to build a 13.1.7-channel system if you so wish.

Conceptually, then, LG Sound Suite is the best of all worlds – a system you can build around your specific needs, and expand or adapt as circumstances and budgets change.

That’s very enticing, I’m sure you’ll agree, but I’m hoping LG has put at least as much thought into sound quality as it has into features and flexibility – because the brand’s track record with audio components isn’t terribly impressive.

LG’s TVs of recent years have all sounded pretty poor, even by the low standards set by modern flatscreens, and of all of the LG headphones, soundbars and wireless speakers we’ve tested this decade, none have achieved a hallowed five-star rating. Far from it, in some cases.

There are reasons to be optimistic, though. We know for a fact that LG takes sound seriously and works incredibly hard on audio quality. And the most recent of its soundbars we tested, the LG S70TY, was its best in a long time.

In other words, LG’s sound quality could be peaking at precisely the right time, and if the Sound Suite’s audio can match its ambition and flexibility, it could prove to be an all-things-to-all-people home cinema system.

That should leave the likes of Samsung, Sonos and Sony feeling a little worried.

MORE:

Here are the best Dolby Atmos soundbars you can buy right now

Check out our LG G5 review and LG C5 review

LG has announced its latest home audio lineup for 2026, and it has a major trick up its sleeve.

The new range includes the H7 Dolby Atmos soundbar, M5 and M7 wireless surround speakers, and W7 subwoofer.

All components use drivers sourced from Danish audio brand Peerless, and the modular nature means you can pick and choose your desired components to build the setup you desire.

This has been made possible by LG's new Sound Suite feature, which allows you to connect these components directly to an LG TV.

This means you can start small with a simple set of surround speakers, or build a full 13.1.7-channel home theatre system.

LG claims there are over 27 different combinations, so there is bound to be a setup to suit a range of different users and spaces.

But what if you don't have an LG TV? Fear not, by connecting the H7 Dolby Atmos soundbar to any TV via HDMI eARC, you can enable Dolby Atmos Flex Connect, which allows you to connect wireless audio components and place them with greater flexibility.

This likely takes a fair amount of brain power, hence why LG has implemented the Alpha 11 AI Processor Gen 3 chipset into the H7 soundbar.

That processor has been previously reserved for the company's flagship OLED TVs, so seeing it powering a soundbar is certainly unusual.

Dolby Atmos Flex Connect is also coming to LG's upcoming 2026 TV lineup, as well as its existing 2025 range via a future software update.

Thanks to the flexibility and likely unconventional places that users will place these speakers in, LG has included a range of sound processing and calibration features to ensure the best performance from these speakers.

Sound Follow uses ultra-wideband wireless technology to "adjust the listening sweet spot based on the user’s location", and that's paired with Room Calibration Pro, which "analyses acoustic characteristics and applies AI processing to refine the sound for a balanced, room-filling audio experience".

Furthermore, LG has included its AI Sound Pro+ processing mode, which can upmix stereo signals into multi-channel surround sound.

AI is also used to power LG's object separation system, which can identify voices, music and surround effects, and ensure they are delivered with clarity.

LG is touting the H7 system as the "world's first soundbar audio system powered by Dolby Atmos Flex Connect". It seems to have worked closely with Dolby to develop the Sound Suite feature and, aside from TCL's Z100 speaker, this is among the first Dolby Atmos Flex Connect sound systems to reach the market.

We're yet to receive information relating to pricing or availability; however, we do know that LG will be showcasing this new system at CES 2026, so stay tuned for our full hands-on impressions from the Las Vegas tech convention next month.

MORE:

Read our full LG S70TY review

As well as our LG S95TR review

Here are our picks for the best Dolby Atmos soundbars

If you are one of the lucky few with room for a full-fat, multi-speaker surround sound setup for your home cinema, then we have two bits of good news.

First, the KEF Q Concerto Meta 5.1 we built, reviewed and gave an Award to earlier this year is finally on sale as a bundle, meaning you don’t have to buy each speaker individually to make it.

Second, Richer Sounds is offering a pretty darned decent price on it, selling the KEF Q Concerto Meta 5.1 Speaker Package for £2549.

Cheap? Not by any stretch of the imagination, but a pretty reasonable price when you consider the fact it costs £3146 if you buy each part separately.

We built this system earlier this year by combining a number of five-star parts into a neat 5.1 setup. These include the two Q Concerto Meta standmounts (£1099), a pair of Q1 Meta bookshelf speakers (£499), the Q6 centre channel (£699), and the Kube 12 MIE subwoofer (£849).

Though the package doesn’t include the 8 Meta 'toppers' (£599) you’ll need to hear Dolby Atmos, the system is by far the best sounding we’ve tested in a 5.1 arrangement. So much so that for the first time in nearly a decade, we chose to replace our older PMC reference system with this KEF package in our home cinema test room.

Yes, it’s so good it’s become the new benchmark we use to compare other high-end surround systems against. Why? Because all the parts are wonderfully matched tonally, and combine to create a rich, warm, engaging sound that’s utterly engrossing when watching films.

As we said in our KEF Q Concerto Meta 5.1 review: “Put simply, the KEF Q Concerto Meta 5.1 reminds us why we love proper surround sound systems so much. It’s rich, crisp and dynamic sound instantly draws us into the action, and while it will certainly take up more room than your average soundbar, you won’t take umbrage with it taking up space in your living room thanks to its dashing looks.”

If you’re building a proper home cinema and want the most engaging, immersive audio possible from a 5.1 system, then we’d thoroughly recommend checking out the new bundle from Richer Sounds – trust us, you won’t regret it.

Black Friday quick links

• Amazon: browse all of today's best deals
• B&W speakers: save £200
• Bluetooth speaker: 48% off five-star JBL
• Bose QC Ultra Earbuds: save £100
• Bravia 8 TV: save 34% on 55in Sony TV
• Denon AV receiver: save £500
• Dolby Atmos soundbar: down to £299
• ELAC Debut 2: five-star speakers now £199
• Headphones: Sennheiser Momentum 4 now £169
• LG C5 55-inch: lowest-ever price at Richer Sounds
• JBL soundbar: now better than half price
• John Lewis: £500 off LG and Sony OLED TVs
• Richer Sounds: browse Black Friday deals
• Sevenoaks: £150 off Award-winning speakers
• Sony headphones: now just £29
• Stereo amplifier: Cambridge Audio now £299
• TVs, movies, home cinema: browse the best deals
• Vinyl: 3 for £66 at Amazon
• Wireless earbuds: Award winners now £75

Looking for a complete surround sound system to give your home cinema set-up a boost? After all, a good audio performance can be the difference between a sub-par movie night and a five-star cinema experience. Well, we may have found the deal for you if that's what you are after.

There's a hefty saving to be made on a Sonos bundle that will save you a whopping £808. You can pick up the Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar, a pair of Era 300 surrounds and the Sub 4 for £1888.20 at Peter Tyson. This is only available if you add the discount code BUNDLE10 at checkout, but that should take a matter of seconds.

We may not have heard all of these elements together as part of a complete system, but both the Sonos Arc Ultra and Sonos Era 300 proved themselves to be excellent performers on their own.

Need more convincing? When we had the Sonos Arc Ultra in our test room, its immersive, room-filling sound performance simply blew us away. We say in our review: "It really is quite amazing how much more crisp, spacious, precise and detailed the Ultra sounds."

You don't need a remote or display to control the Ultra, you just connect it to your TV via HDMI eARC and it becomes your TV's speakers. And while a lack of dedicated HDMI inputs and DTS:X support will bother some people, for others it won't be an issue.

Moving on to the two Sonos Era 300 surrounds included in the deal, the glowing reviews only continue. With its huge scale of engaging sound, wide range of features and seamless Sonos experience, we find that this model is an impressive speaker that can do it all.

Even though we tested the Era 300 with just one speaker, we note that the spread of sound is immense and "projects sound further into the room and overhead more confidently than any other similar wireless speaker we’ve heard."

Under the hood, the arrangement is made up of six drivers – four tweeters (one forward-firing, two side-firing, one upward-firing) and two woofers (angled left and right for stereo playback) – all powered by Class D amplification.

There's a metal grille covering the front and rear driver sections, and touch controls for playback and volume along the top panel, which work beautifully.

Then we come to the Sonos Sub 4. Full disclosure here: we have not had this model in our test room.

It features dual force-cancelling woofers that "virtually eliminate distortion", according to Sonos. It also offers a versatile design that can be placed upright or on its side (depending on your setup). That all bodes well for the model to offer some extra oomph to the sound system as a whole.

If that £808 saving at Peter Tyson sounds tempting, then now is the time to pounce.

Black Friday quick links

• Amazon: browse all of today's best deals
• B&W speakers: save £200
• Bluetooth speaker: 48% off five-star JBL
• Bose QC Ultra Earbuds: save £100
• Bravia 8 TV: save 34% on 55in Sony TV
• Denon AV receiver: save £500
• Dolby Atmos soundbar: down to £299
• ELAC Debut 2: five-star speakers now £199
• Headphones: Sennheiser Momentum 4 now £169
• LG C5 55-inch: lowest-ever price at Richer Sounds
• JBL soundbar: now better than half price
• John Lewis: £500 off LG and Sony OLED TVs
• Richer Sounds: browse Black Friday deals
• Sevenoaks: £150 off Award-winning speakers
• Sony headphones: now just £29
• Stereo amplifier: Cambridge Audio now £299
• TVs, movies, home cinema: browse the best deals
• Vinyl: 3 for £66 at Amazon
• Wireless earbuds: Award winners now £75

When it comes to our yearly Awards testing, the best surround sound speaker package category is easily one of our favourites to judge. While it involves a lot of physical labour – constantly swapping subwoofers and floorstanding speakers is a workout for sure – we're often treated to an immersive cinematic sound experience that floors even the very best soundbars.

This year has been no exception, and the good news is that after a fairly stagnant 2024, we have a new entry to our Award-winners list. The list, which features returning champs from Wharfedale, Dali and Bowers & Wilkins, now includes a premium package courtesy of KEF; and it happens to be really quite good.

Each entry is a 5.1 system. However, the beauty of any surround sound speaker package is the flexibility to swap in different elements. Adding a pair of height channel toppers to most of these systems can easily result in a 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos system, or you could hypothetically turn any of these into a 7.1 system with an additional pair of surround speakers.

That said, we've judged these systems in their respective 5.1 configurations and found plenty to like about each. We'll start with the newest addition to our list...

KEF delivers a truly stunning speaker system

KEF has made an impressive return to our AV testing room, not long after delivering one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars of the year in the form of the XIO. The Q Concerto Meta 5.1 speaker package takes a pair of five-star standmount speakers, adds a mighty good subwoofer and centre channel, and rounds things out with a very capable pair of bookshelf speakers to create a rich, powerful and superbly cinematic system.

It's a pricier package than the previously Product of the Year-winning Bowers & Wilkins package (more on that in a moment), but we found its dashing good looks, impressive cohesion and, most importantly, its exceptional cinematic sound to easily justify its price tag.

We raved about its "rich, warm and engaging sound" in our full review, noting how capable the Kube 12 MIE subwoofer is in underpinning the overall experience with a controlled-yet-punchy dose of low-end oomph.

That's balanced nicely with how agile and dynamic the other components of the system are. The centre channel does an excellent job of capturing clear and emotive dialogue with plenty of detail, while the Q Concerto Meta speakers (which serve as the namesake and front left and right channels of this system) deliver a rich and punchy sound.

The system as a whole sounds precise and keeps pace without sounding thin or analytical; in fact, we were pleasantly surprised at how rich and dynamic it sounded during our testing.

It's a step up over the B&W system, but we couldn't overlook it during our judging, which is why we've bestowed it with the "Best speaker package over £2500" title.

Wharfedale, Dali and Bowers & Wilkins all defend their titles

The rest of this list is comprised of previous Award winners, as each remains a shining example of what makes a great surround sound speaker package.

The cheapest entry is the Wharfedale DX-3 HCP, a pint-sized system that's designed for those who want top-notch cinematic sound in smaller rooms, yet you shouldn't let its compact footprint deceive you. It has no trouble in firing out a wide, spacious sound that is simultaneously crisp and dynamic. This is a great choice for anyone looking to dip their toes into the world of 5.1 speaker systems for the first time, too, as it comes in one convenient package.

Stepping up to a much larger Wharfedale system, we have the Diamond 12.1 HCP, which has just earned its fifth What Hi-Fi? Award. It's a composed, spacious and insightful system that bears Wharfedale's usual warmth and depth in equal measure. We struggled to find a moment where this system put a foot wrong in our original review, and it remains a seriously compelling option in the £500-£1000 range.

Next up is another firm favourite, the Dali Oberon 5 5.1. It's won countless Awards, and for good reason too. It's a stylish system that delivers a rich, detailed and dynamic sound without breaking a sweat. We especially like how cohesive it sounds, and when we consider the cons of this system, we simply reach this conclusion: there's "nothing at this price".

Rounding out the list is the formidable Bowers & Wilkins 606 & 607 S3 speaker package. This two-time Product of the Year winner comprises two pairs of five-star stereo speakers, while the ASW610 packs a punch in the bass department. This system has it all: clarity, dynamism, warmth and agility, which is why we've featured it on our Awards list for the third year running.

The real question is who will take home the Product of the Year title? Can B&W defend its title and score the hat trick, or will KEF steal its thunder? No spoilers here – but the good news is that you'll only have to wait a few more days to find out the answer.

MORE:

Find all of the What Hi-Fi? 2025 Award winners here

Read our full KEF Q Concerto Meta 5.1 review

And check out our picks for the best surround sound speaker systems

Black Friday doesn't officially kick off for another couple of weeks, and yet we're already seeing the prices of some notable home cinema products being cut back massively.

The Sony Bravia Theatre Quad, a wireless Dolby Atmos speaker solution that delivers an impressive surround-sound experience without the need to trail cables around your living room, is a prime example of this.

We initially tested it at the unnervingly expensive launch price of £2499; something that proved to be its biggest downfall. Its predecessor, the five-star HT-A9 system, launched at just £1599 – that £900 price increase proved to be a tough pill to swallow.

Ultimately, we deemed it to be a bit too pricey to give it our full recommendation, which is a shame as it sounds good (if a little bass-light), and the fact that it's wireless makes it super convenient.

Pair that with an easy set-up process, smart design and HDMI 2.1 passthrough on the hub, and the Quad seemed to be within touching distance of true greatness.

Well, it looks like our biggest issue with the Bravia Theatre Quad has been rectified this Black Friday, as it's currently enjoying an £800 discount at Peter Tyson. With the price dropping to £1699, I'm starting to reassess my feelings towards the Quad system.

It's worth noting that most other retailers, including Amazon, Richer Sounds and Currys, have this system priced at £1799 currently, but Peter Tyson is offering an additional £100 discount, which is automatically applied at checkout.

Sure, the bass is still a bit underwhelming, but with a saving this huge, the prospect of investing in one of Sony's wireless subwoofers becomes a lot more reasonable. In fact, we identified this as the only sonic shortcoming in our full review.

We described the system as "clean, crisp and energetic" and complimented its ability to deliver an "immersive performance that surrounds us in a bubble of sound".

Sound effects are placed well, putting us in the middle of the action, and it does an impressive job of projecting sound upwards to produce convincing Dolby Atmos height channels.

Our final thoughts on the Sony system were this: "Calling a verdict on the Sony Bravia Theatre Quad is tricky. There are very few systems that can rival it for convenience, and it is a step up over its predecessor in many ways. However, it’s just too expensive to wholeheartedly recommend, especially when getting the very best out of it involves shelling out extra for a subwoofer."

While that statement rang true at its sky-high launch price, the Bravia Theatre Quad is now a much more compelling system at this new, lowest-ever price. Its benefits, which were once outweighed by a hefty price tag, are now back to being the highlights of this wireless surround sound system.

If you're looking for a convenient and effective way of upping your audio game, then check this deal out at Peter Tyson, and remember that the £100 additional saving is automatically applied at checkout – no need to input any discount codes or membership details.

MORE:

Read our full Sony Bravia Theatre Quad review

Here are the best surround sound systems

And check out the best Dolby Atmos soundbars

• Check out our picks of the best surround sound systems

British audio brand KEF has been featured plenty in our hi-fi testing room.

It's a rarer sight in our AV room, though, with the XIO soundbar the only KEF-branded product to have graced this space recently.

Excellent though the XIO is, a soundbar won’t always cut it, especially for those who want cinema-style, all-encompassing surround sound. That’s where a 5.1 speaker system comes in, and KEF has been a key player in this sector of the home cinema market for quite some time.

Its latest offering, the Q Concerto Meta 5.1 Speaker System, is headlined by a five-star pair of stereo speakers and calls in backup from more members of the entry-level Q-series. It aims to deliver proper cinematic sound in a stylish package – but does it succeed?

No prizes here, you’ve seen the star rating…

Price

KEF doesn’t currently offer this system as an all-in-one package. We suspect that might change in the near future, but for now, you will need to purchase the components separately, at a total cost of £3146 / $4050 / AU$5650.

Breaking that price down into the individual components, we have the Q Concerto Meta standmounts at £1099 / $1400 / AU$2000 per pair, a pair of Q1 Meta bookshelf speakers priced at £499 / $700 / AU$1000, the Q6 centre channel at £699 / $850 / AU$1250, and the Kube 12 MIE subwoofer, which costs £849 / £1100 / AU$1400.

KEF also offers the Q4 Meta on-wall speakers, which can be swapped in for the Q1 Meta if your goal is to save some space. They are priced at £349 / $600 / AU$700 per speaker (or £698 / $1200 / AU$1400 for a pair).

If you want to turn this into a 5.1.2 system, meanwhile, KEF also offers the Q8 Meta Dolby Atmos 'toppers' at £599 / $900 / AU$1200 a pair.

An obvious competitor to the KEF Q Concerto Meta system is the What Hi-Fi? Award-winning Bowers & Wilkins 606 & 607 S3 speaker package, which we initially reviewed at £2496 / $3799 / AU$3947 but can often be picked up for less.

The KEF package, then, has to prove it's worth the additional outlay.

Build

Looks are subjective, but you’d have to do a lot of convincing to persuade anyone that this isn’t a swooningly handsome system.

The Q Concerto Meta speakers are a suave set of standmounters, with the KEF Uni-Q driver array starring front and centre, and the Q1 Meta surrounds and Q6 centre feature a cohesive design language that matches nicely.

While the subwoofer is only available in black, the rest of the system can be optioned in a satin white, walnut or satin black finish. We have an all-black system in our testing room, and if this were a beauty contest, this stealthy system would take home top prize.

The KEF tab at the top of each standmount speaker is a classy touch, and the slightly glossy surround to the Uni-Q driver array adds a nice sense of contrast to the monochromatic system we have here. We should also mention that the front and surround speakers come with magnetic grilles in the box.

Generally speaking, the system is moderately sized by surround-sound package standards. Each Q Concerto Meta measures 42 x 21 x 32cm (hwd) and weighs 9.5kg each, whereas the smaller Q1 Meta speakers measure 30 x 18 x 28cm each and weigh 6.1kg.

You will, of course, need to supply your own stands for these, though KEF does offer the SQ1 stands at £275 / $400 / AU$450 per pair if you want a perfect match. That’s quite a pricey option as speaker stands go, however, so keep that additional cost in mind if you’re considering this system.

The Q6 Meta, which serves as the centre channel of this system, is a bit more substantial at 21 x 63 x 30cm and 14.1kg, but it doesn’t look out of place next to the Concertos.

Where things do start to get a tad unwieldy is with KEF’s Kube 12 MIE subwoofer, which measures 41 x 39 x 41cm and weighs 18.6kg.

Features

As we know, looks aren’t everything – but KEF brings both style and substance with this system.

Starting with the stars of the show, the Q Concerto Meta standmount speakers are jam-packed with KEF’s proprietary driver technology to maximise sound quality and minimise unwanted distortion.

They feature a three-way bass reflex design, which KEF claims “ensures precise separation of high, mid and low frequencies for exceptional detail and clarity, bringing music and movies to life”.

Each unit features KEF’s 12th Generation Uni-Q driver array, which combines a 10cm aluminium midrange driver, a 19mm vented aluminium dome tweeter and the company’s Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT), which can reportedly “absorb 99 per cent of the unwanted noise from the rear of the driver for pure and natural sound”, according to KEF.

The Uni-Q arrangement is backed up by a 16.5cm hybrid cone bass driver, and a rear-firing port is used to tune the lower frequencies. The bass driver cones are constructed with an aluminium skin layered over paper and feature a shallow concave design, which enhances rigidity and dampening, resulting in “improved punch and definition” as per our full KEF Q Concerto Meta review.

The Q1 Meta surround speakers could be considered the baby brothers of the Q Concertos. They drop the bass driver and feature a two-way bass reflex design, but also feature a slightly larger 12th Generation Uni-Q array comprising a 25mm vented aluminium dome tweeter with MAT, and a 130mm aluminium cone for mid/bass purposes.

While that driver is a few millimetres bigger, it’s also expected to do a lot more due to the lack of a dedicated bass driver.

Next up is the Q6 Meta, which is currently the only centre channel option in KEF’s Q series speaker range. It features the same Uni-Q array as the Q Concerto speakers, though it’s sandwiched between two of the same bass drivers from the front speakers.

Last – but certainly not least – is the Kube 12 MIE powered subwoofer.

This 12-inch front-firing subwoofer is powered by 300W of Class D amplification and is housed in a sealed cabinet design, which allows for greater flexibility when it comes to placement.

KEF also includes a room position EQ switch on the rear of the subwoofer to adjust the sound depending on whether you have the subwoofer placed in the corner, out in the room, or in a wall alcove or cabinet.

Sound

While a speaker package fronted by a pair of five-star standmounters isn't guaranteed to be a success, it's certainly a good start, and so it proves here.

We’ve connected the system to our reference AVR, the Marantz Cinema 30, which costs £4000 / $4500 / AU$7900, primarily for its ability to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of connected speakers.

In practice, you could pair this with something slightly cheaper, such as the Denon AVC-X6800H (£2999 / $3500 / AU$5999), and even the Denon AVC-X3800H will do a good job of driving it.

Starting with Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts, specifically the scene in which the squad of misfits plans an elaborate escape from a military facility, we’re treated to a muscular and rich, yet agile presentation from the Q Concerto Meta system.

The explosion towards the start of this sequence is delivered with a hefty dose of low-end punch, and the subwoofer delivers its gut-punch of low end while remaining in total control.

There’s no flabby or waffly bass here, and while the Bowers & Wilkins 606/607 S3’s subwoofer is a touch more tuneful, the KEF Kube 12 MIE delivers a powerful and dynamic low-end kick.

This system sounds big and bold, enveloping us in engaging sound from all angles, but it refrains from losing focus and becoming sluggish as a result.

The hushed conversation between Yelena and Bob that follows demonstrates how talented this system’s centre channel is. Voices are conveyed with clarity and texture, underpinned by an impressive handling of low-level dynamics.

This results in a supremely natural and realistic representation of voices with excellent projection, which is aided by how forthright and crisp this centre channel sounds.

That said, it remains well integrated into the system as a whole. The left, right and centre speakers mesh seamlessly, and these in turn gel with the surrounds, leaving no noticeable gaps in between the channels.

The Matera car chase sequence in No Time To Die is a perfect demonstration of this, as bullets clatter against the bulletproof glass of the Aston Martin DB5 in an impressively coherent display of surround sound, placing us directly in the middle of the action.

Despite the Q1 Meta speakers being smaller than the Q Concerto Metas at the front of this system, there isn’t a noticeable tonal dissonance or any sacrifice in scale between the front section and the surrounds.

There’s a sparkle to the metallic clinking of bullet casings hitting the ground, and as each shot makes contact with the car, we’re treated to a pleasingly impactful thud followed by the sparkle of fragmenting glass. It’s layered, dynamic and detailed in all of the ways we’d hope, which helps to raise tension and excitement within this sequence.

We also take this system for a quick test drive with some of our favourite test tracks, though our full KEF Concerto Q Meta review provides a more thorough deep dive into how these speakers handle music.

Streaming from Tidal to our Marantz Cinema 30 in Pure Direct mode, we can confirm that these front speakers are superbly talented for music and movies alike.

Taylor Swift’s The Fate Of Ophelia is presented with the same richness, punch and agility as we’ve experienced when watching movies, and the vocal clarity, depth and detail remain top-notch.

Gerry Rafferty’s Right Down The Line, on the other hand, demonstrates the KEF’s more delicate and reserved side, with a smooth and warm sound that makes for easy listening while remaining interesting and engaging.

Verdict

Put simply, the KEF Q Concerto Meta 5.1 reminds us why we love proper surround-sound systems so much.

Its rich, crisp and dynamic sound instantly draws us into the action, and while it will certainly take up more room than your average soundbar, you won’t take umbrage with it taking up space in your living room thanks to its dashing looks.

It will, of course, sound a hell of a lot better, too.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Features 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Bowers & Wilkins 606 & 607 S3 speaker package

Also consider the Q Acoustics 5040 5.1 Home Cinema

Read our Wharfedale Evo 4.4 5.1 pack review

Best surround sound systems: home cinema speakers and soundbars put to the test

With the What Hi-Fi? Awards fast approaching, I've been spending my week thus far setting up and testing some of the best surround sound speaker systems on the market, including offerings from KEF and Fyne.

The current king of home cinema audio, however, is the Bowers & Wilkins 606 & 607 S3 speaker package, which is a two-time Award winner and remains a reference point for other 5.1 surround sound systems to aspire to.

It's been a while since I've used this speaker package, but after plugging it into the excellent Marantz Cinema 30 AV receiver, I was swiftly reminded as to why we rate it so highly.

While its performance hasn't changed since it won for the first time back in 2023, the price certainly has. Originally launching at £2496, the system can now be snapped up for just £1999 at Peter Tyson – that's a saving of £497.

The fact that this speaker system is primarily composed of two Award-winning pairs of Bowers & Wilkins speakers – the 606 S3 and 607 S3 – should explain why this system is so impressive. Throw in the HTM6 S3 centre speaker and ASW610 subwoofer, and the 5.1 system is primed for home cinema sound duties.

We should remind you that the front and surround speakers are standmount units, so you should factor in the price of speaker stands if you're thinking of picking this system up.

The front, centre and surround channels all feature B&W's titanium-dome tweeter for crisp and stable high-frequency signals, which are backed up by Continuum cone material bass/mid drivers.

That tweeter design is crucial to the centre channel, which we found to deliver a “captivating vocal performance”, while the system as a whole offers up a rich, dynamic and engaging sound that ticks all of the cinematic boxes we look for.

B&W has been known to create some excellent subwoofers in the past, and the ASW610 is no exception. It’s small, to fit in with the fairly compact nature of this system as a whole, but it's also mighty when it comes to delivering weighty, controlled bass.

With a discount just shy of £500, this system is an easy recommendation for anyone looking to upgrade from a soundbar to a fully fledged 5.1 system. Don't miss this deal at Peter Tyson.

MORE:

Read our full Bowers & Wilkins 606 & 607 S3 speaker package review

Check out the best surround sound systems

Need an AVR for this speaker package? Here's a five-star Marantz deal

Amazon Prime Day is here, and we're already seeing offers on some of the best TVs, as well as a few of the best AVRs. While the latter will entice hardcore home cinema fans, not everyone will be willing to uproot their living room to trail cables around to bulky floorstanding speakers.

That's understandable; even we can't argue with the impracticality of a surround sound setup, which is why we're recommending this deal on a wireless Dolby Atmos speaker set.

The Sony Bravia Theatre Quad is a fuss-free and tidy solution for achieving full surround sound, and it does so without the need to run cables around your living room.

We did take issue with its launch pricing of £2499, which was a considerable increase over its five-star predecessors, the HT-A9.

However, thanks to the power of Prime Day, you can currently snag the Bravia Theatre Quad system for just £1999 at Amazon, Richer Sounds, Currys, Sevenoaks Sound & Vision, Peter Tyson, John Lewis and Sony Store Online UK.

With the price now down to a slightly more manageable £1999, the Bravia Theatre Quad is a wireless Dolby Atmos solution that we have no issue recommending.

Our criticisms of the system revolved around the high price tag and the lacking bass weight; both of which can be addressed with this £500 saving.

For those interested, our suggestion would be to put the savings from this deal towards the Sony SA-SW3 or SA-SW5 wireless subwoofer to add some low-end oomph.

Getting back to the main system, we had plenty of nice things to say in our full review.

We approved of its clear and spacious sound, which travels organically around the four wireless speakers in order to create a convincing bubble of Dolby Atmos sound around the listener.

Speaking of Dolby Atmos, each speaker features an upward-firing speaker, so height effects are well presented.

We're also quite fond of how easy this system is to set up, with the wireless sync box that plugs into your TV doing much of the hard work. It features HDMI 2.1 passthrough too, with support for 4K/120Hz gaming and Dolby Vision HDR.

Placing (or wall-mounting) these slender speakers is quick and easy, and the system features an easy calibration system to determine the location of each channel; no need to get your tape measure out.

Bonus points if you have a Sony TV to accompany it – might we suggest the A95L, which is currently £1500 off – as Acoustic Centre Sync allows you to use your TV as a dedicated centre channel.

With a £500 saving attached, the Sony Bravia Theatre Quads are an ideal solution for anyone who wants to upgrade from their soundbar, but isn't in the mood to reconfigure their living room.

MORE:

Find more home cinema deals on Amazon this Prime Day

More great TV deals to be had at Richer Sounds

Sevenoaks Sound & Vision is home to some home cinema bargains right now

Normally, planning a new system is fun. Whether it’s choosing the separates to use in a new hi-fi rack, or components in a home cinema setup, I have always enjoyed the planning stage.

At least, that used to be the case. But then I subjected myself to one of the most frustrating processes I have ever undertaken, only to see it end with abject defeat.

My ongoing attempt to get a full-fat, off the rack, 5.2.2-channel Dolby Atmos system into my home proved, ultimately, fruitless. It ended with the sad conclusion that most UK houses are simply too small to accommodate such a set-up – and this after weeks, nay months, of effort.

To be clear, before our Australian readers once again tell me “to just build a bigger house” as happened when I discussed a similar failure when planning a 100-inch TV setup in my lounge, I am talking specifically about the UK, where homes are smaller.

For those who have never visited our rainy shores, most UK homes, like the Edwardian terraced house I occupy right now, don’t have massive living rooms or bedrooms compared with what you might get in the US or Australia.

In fact, according to most of the estimates I’ve seen, including this study featured in The Guardian and my rough and ready research looking at floorplans on RightMove, most UK lounges are around 17 square meters (184 square feet) in area.

That means most are around the size of, or perhaps a touch bigger than, a regular, single-car garage.

That’s ample space for a TV and soundbar, of course, but when you factor in the sheer volume of air you need to accommodate a 5.2.2 set-up's haul of speakers (centre, left and right, twin surrounds, twin subwoofers and twin height channels) that space rapidly gets eaten up. As I was to find when playing Tetris in an attempt to fit all of them into my lounge.

Is it possible? Yes. Especially if you're able to go custom install. But in my experience with trying off-the-shelf systems, doing so means committing a couple of cardinal AV sins.

For starters, most UK living rooms are too small to place all the speakers optimally, especially if you plan on having a big screen – and I am planning on having a big screen.

I want to use a UST (ultra short throw) projector to throw a 120-inch, or even 150-inch image. A screen that size means that, if I want to view films comfortably, my sofa is going to have to be close to the rear wall.

Editor’s note: As a rule of thumb, you should have between three-and-a-half to four metres' (11-13ft) viewing distance for a screen this size. I prefer a longer distance, towards the four metre-plus mark: it means not having to move my head constantly, or worry about eye strain.

Thanks to the dimensions of my room – standard for most terraced houses – to accommodate that and still have the speakers at the correct angle, my rear channels would have to sit fairly flush to the wall.

After hours of marking potential layouts and putting my planned sofa in various positions, the best I can get with a sensible viewing distance places the rear speakers less than 10cm from the back wall.

This is a problem. At that distance, the speakers won’t have room to breathe; running them this close to the back wall will result in a lumpy low-end that even my two planned subwoofers won’t be able to save.

This is one of the key reasons we, and Dolby in its official setup guidance, tell you to consider positioning and give your speakers space when setting them up – even without Atmos. Look at the official diagram below as an example.

The second cardinal sin focuses on the realities of shared living space: to do this properly, I would have to take over the entire lounge.

If you don’t live alone, that could well be the final nail in the coffin. I am not wealthy enough to have an excess of rooms, and my lounge is frequently used by others – my partner for instance – for things other than watching movies.

That means, as well as having to accommodate other furniture in the room, I am afforded a finite amount of patience when it comes to running cables and having large, easy to topple items – loudspeakers, say – “lying around” the shared space.

I’m not going to go over the conversation we had verbatim – this is a family friendly website, after all. Let’s just say I got to appreciate my limits fairly quickly, once I had floated the idea of drilling speakers into the ceiling, after barely selling the idea of getting a two, not four-seater sofa to accommodate the other channels.

For now, then, my dreams of a full-fat Dolby Atmos system are on pause – at least in the lounge.

My one ray of hope comes from our proposed attic conversion. I have already called dibs on one of the smaller, but better proportioned, rooms we have planned. Even here, though, thanks to the low ceilings, I am limiting my planned setup to a non-Atmos 5.2 arrangement, or possibly a step-down soundbar system.

Tiny violin sonata-worthy, first-world problem? Sure. Either way, after all my futile faffing, I remain convinced full-fat Dolby Atmos is a step beyond what most normal (UK) houses can accommodate.

MORE:

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We rate the best Dolby Atmos soundbars

Good audio quality is a key ingredient that can elevate any home cinema experience.

Even a moderately capable cheap soundbar is, more often than not, leagues ahead of a TV's built-in sound system.

Indeed, our senior staff writer, Lewis Empson, wrote an opinion piece mere weeks ago, detailing the difference a near half-decade old, cheap Sony soundbar makes when compared with the Sky Glass Gen 2’s internal speakers.

Advantages vary system to system, of course, but benefits from a more powerful but better-controlled low end, to extra detail and a better sense of directionality are all common pros you will experience when adding a separate soundbar or surround sound package to your home cinema setup.

Recently, though, I have seen a trend that I’m not completely convinced is a good thing for every home cinema fan: the increasing dominance of soundbar systems at around the £1000 / $1000 mark.

The soundbar has been a mass-market product for home cinema setups for around a quarter of a century now, and for good reason. The relatively small units don’t require complex setup, and take up a lot less space than a traditional 5.1 multi-speaker arrangement.

They have also come a long way sonically in recent years. In the past 12 months alone, we have seen plenty of fantastic soundbars pass through our test rooms, including the five-star Sonos Arc Ultra, which sits proudly at the top of our best Dolby Atmos soundbars guide.

A soundbar, though, still can't match a good, equivalently priced multi-speaker package in a few key areas. That's largely due to their smaller frame and single-box nature.

Enter soundbar systems, a halfway house between a standalone soundbar and a full-fat multi-speaker package. These hybrids have begun to creep up the charts, eating further into 5.1, 7.1 and even full Dolby Atmos systems' share of the home cinema pie.

These systems started appearing a few years ago when Samsung, JBL and Yamaha started pushing them. But it is only recently that they have taken big steps towards becoming truly mass-market products.

Last year’s Samsung HW-Q990D is a good example. It was the first Dolby Atmos soundbar system to impress us enough to earn a five-star rating. Its predecessor, the Q990C, and every other product in the category, including the JBL Bar 1300 and Yamaha True X, received four stars at most.

The Q990D offers a meaty centre/left/right channel soundbar that is paired with capable wireless satellite speakers and a decent subwoofer. The combined package offers an impressive 22 drivers, set in an 11.1.4 channel arrangement.

It offers a convenient, wireless design for the satellites and subwoofer and genuinely good audio. Highlights include a large, immersive and three-dimensional sound with room-filling low-end heft. I get why the unit is so popular.

I also understand why retailers including Richer Sounds, Sevenoaks Sound and Vision, Peter Tyson and Amazon constantly feature it front and centre in their store fronts.

Companies clearly understand the appeal as well, with Samsung, JBL and more all launching new soundbar systems this year. These include the Samsung HW-Q990F and JBL Bar 1300MK2, the first of which we are reviewing right now.

Even companies that don’t make “systems” are sneaking in similar functionality. Sonos lets you connect its wireless subwoofers and Era 300 speakers to create a system. Sony does the same, offering various wireless satellites and subs you can pair with its premium soundbars, including the flagship Bravia Theatre Bar 9. Be warned, though: these extras add considerably to the overall cost.

Why are full soundbar packaged a bad thing? In isolation, they're not. I get the appeal, to the point that I am probably going to put one in my lounge. In smaller, or shared, living spaces, the convenience of the form factor makes complete sense – especially now we know they can deliver five-star audio.

No, I’m concerned because of the knock-on effect these setups might have on full multi-speaker systems. While they are undeniably a lot more faff – especially if you opt for Dolby Atmos with down-firing, ceiling-mounted speakers – a good package still comes with some key benefits you simply can’t get with a soundbar equivalent.

The most obvious is the added heft you can get from a full-sized speaker setup with discrete front channels; two floorstanding speakers can move a lot more air than a soundbar, simply because they are far bigger.

Also consider the added flexibility and room for growth that a separates package offers. Soundbar systems come out of the box pretty much ready to go, but they aren’t anywhere near as easy to upgrade.

Unlike with a full AV package, you can’t add extra channels to turn a 5.1 into a 7.1. With some exceptions (from the likes of Sennheiser, Sonos and Nakamichi), most soundbar-based systems support only one subwoofer out of the box. You can't add a second, despite the benefits that brings.

Having two subwoofers can radically improve your low end’s control and system's room dispersion, elevating the setup holistically, giving it better, more even coverage.

If you’re willing to spend some time with a full setup to get it properly dialled in, you can get better bang for your buck this way.

Despite these full-system benefits, though, I am seeing fewer and fewer new packages – high-end market aside – being introduced to take on the new soundbar systems. Jump over to most online stores, and you will still see older packages we reviewed years ago as the main options.

In fact, the slow down is so severe that we are struggling to get new multi-speaker systems in for review. That's never a good sign – we used to be swamped with options, to the point we would have to be very picky about which ones we would review.

This won’t be a problem for most people, of course, for whom the convenience of a wireless soundbar system makes a lot of sense – but for enthusiasts like me, it is a shame.

I can’t help but hope I’m wrong, and that more full-fat packages appear in the near future, targeting the same price point as the increasingly popular soundbar systems.

MORE:

These are the best soundbars we have tested

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Since becoming a professional shiny-things chaser, I’ve always had two dreams. First, to become a cyborg-ninja-pirate.

Not tech related specifically, but when I first started as a journalist I also covered business and government tech, which meant occasionally writing about DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). Let’s just say the experience meant I saw some “things” that inspired the goal.

Second, to build my own home cinema. While the second is infinitely more realistic (for now), over the years it's been in a state of flux jumping between one of two extremes.

Sometimes I think of ways to replicate the KEF Music Gallery's home cinema in a Richie Rich-style mansion, other times I focus on the more achievable goal of getting a projector and surround-sound set-up into one of my house’s spare rooms.

And even that downgraded dream has seen some changes over the years, as I’ve tweaked the specifics to meet the budget and the dimensions of the room I intend to put it – which, on a journalist’s stipend, is definitely not enough to replicate KEF's set-up.

These have included replacing the amazing Sony Bravia Projector 8 (VPL-XW6100ES) long throw projector I’ve wanted since we reviewed it with a much smaller, space-friendly ultra short throw (UST).

Specifically, the five-star Hisense PX3 Pro I helped review last year – it has a short throw distance and all the specifications I need to play games at full speed with my gaming PC.

Last week this continued with a fresh round of amendments to the surround-sound package I’m planning.

Originally I’d planned a full Dolby Atmos set-up, but quickly abandoned the idea when I realised my ceiling height is a little too low and my partner poo-pooed drilling speakers into the ceiling, period.

I then considered a 5.1 arrangement, but quickly tweaked this after a useful conversation with our technical editor, Ketan Bharadia.

During it, he reminded me of a key detail I, and many home cinema fans, regularly overlook – in instances like mine, two subwoofers are usually better than one.

Why? Well there’s one big reason, and it has nothing to do with low-end heft or creating deafening levels of bass.

Specifically, improved distribution. How does that work, you ask? Ketan explained it to me best by comparing bass distribution to using a flashlight in a dark room.

Imagine we've got a dark room, and you have a torch. Turn it on and you’ll just see one section of the room illuminated in a triangle / cone shape.

With a second flashlight, while you won’t be able to perfectly cover the entire room, you will see a lot more of it.

Subwoofers do the same thing with the way they distribute sound and pressure – remember speakers, including subwoofers, create sound by moving air around.

Using a second subwoofer evens out the distribution of sound and spreads the low frequency energy more evenly throughout the room, bringing a number of real world benefits.

First, the better distribution reduces the impact of nodes and antinodes – areas in a space where a particular part of the sound wave is over exaggerated or under represented or blocked.

These are particularly problematic for lower frequency sounds, which have long wavelengths. If you suffer from this, the low end won’t sound right in certain parts of the room.

Because the low end is spread more evenly rather than concentrated at particular points, two subs tend to excite fewer room nodes, which is great for overall performance but also important given home cinema movie watching is often a shared experience in my house.

Second, because two subs running in tandem, in most instances, they have to work less hard to produce decent bass levels.

This means the set-up is usually less prone to distortion and can be run at lower volumes than a single unit trying to populate a whole room – something my neighbours will also appreciate, given bass’s ability to rumble through terraced houses’ thin, connecting walls.

Which is why I’ve made the decision to invest in an extra sub when I finally pull the trigger and start building my home cinema later this year.

Now I just need to pick which specific package I want from our best surround sound systems buying guide and deal with planning the room’s treatment…

MORE:

These are the best Dolby Atmos soundbars we’ve tested

We rate the best projectors

Our picks of the best AV receivers

These days a lot of people default to soundbar packages when looking for surround sound systems. And there are plenty of good reasons for that.

The systems don't require cable management, as many – including the Award-winning Samsung HW-Q990D – use wireless satellites and subwoofers. They also take up less space than a proper 5.1 setup.

So if ease of use is your priority, going for a soundbar system makes a lot of sense. If, however, performance is your be all and end all, there’s not getting around the fact that a full-fat, multi-speaker package is usually your best bet.

After decades of testing surround sound systems we know that a good one will deliver audio with a sense of directionality and heft that you just can’t get anywhere else.

Which is why home cinema aficionados with the space to accommodate one are very likely to be looking at the wealth of new AVR / surround sound package deals that recently launched on Richer Sounds.

If you meet that description, we also have good news: after price checking the components of each deal to make sure they are actual discounts, and of course with our years of experience in using the products, we have two recommendations for you.

Sony TA-AN1000 with Q Acoustics 3020i 5.1 speaker package

The first deal we recommend gets you a Sony TA-AN1000 AVR with a Q Acoustics 3020i 5.1 surround sound package for £1489 at Richer Sounds. That’s a £106 saving on the two if you bought them separately.

Why this specific system? The two products certainly represent stellar value, but they also leave plenty of room for growth.

Sure, the Q Acoustics 3020i package is getting long in the tooth, having launched in 2021, but, to this day it offers solid value for money and a sound profile that’s great for movies.

Highlights include an atypically rich, warm sound with a full bass and precise treble. This, plus its ability to deliver sweeping dynamics makes it a great entry-level option.

For context, our perennially broke editor (me), still uses a stereo pair of the 3020i with a Technics SA-C600 system in his lounge for music listening.

The only real downside is that, despite being standmount units, they are atypically deep and you shouldn’t place them with their backs to a wall if you want the best results. So you should certainly measure the space you intend to put them in before buying.

The Sony TA-AN1000 is another impressive, stellar value option if you're just getting into “proper” home cinema surround sound. So much so that we described the Award-winning AVR as a “no brainer” purchase when we first reviewed it.

Could you get away with paying for a less muscly, cheaper AVR to power the 3020i? Probably; but the main selling point here is that the Sony has lots of room for growth, meaning you can continue to use it even if you choose to add extra channels or upgrade/replace the speakers down the line.

This, plus its flawless HDR and surround-sound standard support make it a wonderfully flexible, future-proof unit. And, even more importantly, it sounds sublime. As we say in our Sony TA-AN1000 review:

“Its crisp, precise and punchy sound strikes a nearly perfect balance, and it elevates every movie and song we throw at it. This amplifier ticks all our boxes, with a sleek design, good feature set and outstanding performance, making it so easy to recommend. If you’re looking at buying an amp at this level, then the Sony TA-AN1000 is a no-brainer.”

Denon AVC-X3800H with Dali Oberon 5 5.1 speaker package

The second deal lets you grab a Denon AVC-X3800H AVR with a Dali Oberon 5 5.1 speaker package for £2599 at Richer Sounds. Doing the maths after a thorough deal hunt, that’s a £150 saving on how much the two would cost if you bought them separately right now.

This is a great mid-tier package, ideal for people looking for a louder, more powerful system.

The speakers are another What Hi-Fi? Award-winner and it's the package we recommend to most buyers looking for a 5.1 system for less than £2000.

The package uses Award-winning Dali Oberon 5 floorstanders as the main left and right channels, with five-star Dali Oberon 1 standmounters taking on the surround duties. Add to these the Dali central channel and subwoofer, and you get a system that offers more heft and volume than the Q Acoustics – but requires more space as a result.

It also offers some sonic improvements, which justify its higher price tag. During testing, the system delivered a wonderfully full sound, with a hefty, but controlled low end and agile dynamics.

The end result is a surround sound system that delivers truly immersive home cinema experience, whether in conversation dramas or explosion-filled action movies. Which is why the verdict of our review says:

“The Dali Oberon 5 5.1 system presents every frequency in full, but with honesty and warmth that brings the best out of any soundtrack. They’re transparent but fun, powerful but subtle; we’d have them round to ours any day.”

Similarly, the five-star Denon AVC-X3800H is a step up on the Sony TA-AN1000, both in price and performance. It’s also one of the mid-tier AVRs we recommend, even at full price.

For starters, it’s crammed with hardware, making it one of the most future-proofed units you’ll find at its price. For regular surround sound, it can power 9.2 to 11.4 channels. If you want to make the leap to Dolby Atmos down the line, it can go up to 5.4.4 out of the box.

We tested it with 5.1 and Atmos systems and it delivers excellent results in both – so there is plenty of headroom for a system expansion in the future if you need it.

Then there’s flawless HDR support and six HDMI inputs – three of which are HDMI 2.1 ports rated to 40gbps. You shouldn’t run out of connectivity options, then, even if you have a ludicrous number of players, streamers and consoles.

But, as with the Sony, the Denon's main selling point is its excellent audio ability. All of which makes it a stellar AVR to match with the fine Dali package, and an easy recommendation at its current price. As we say in our Denon review:

“Combining future-proofed connectivity, flexibility and a mature, authoritative but expansive sound [if] you’re looking for an all-round performer with plenty of features and ample scope for system expansion, then the 3800 is a superb choice.”

If you want something significantly better than the Denon, you will need to go up a tier and invest in a more expensive AVR – such as the Marantz Home Cinema 30 we currently recommend, which costs £3800.

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As a dude approaching 40 there are many things I don’t understand. Happy hardcore music, most English people’s obsession with kicky ball and pretty much any of Gen Z’s slang.

It’s a long list, and one that this week had a new addition to it. Specifically, Sony’s Bravia Theatre U neckband speaker.

To catch you up, neckband speakers are a rare, but slowly growing category of home cinema and gaming focussed audio hardware with a fairly cool aim – to provide full-fat, personalised 360-degree audio.

The idea being that the speakers are worn around your neck and fire personalised audio tailored to your exact position, without the need for complex speaker arrangements or any form of cable management.

And yes, I get that it sounds cool – especially on a unit like the Bravia Theatre U which supports Dolby Atmos.

And yes, based on our testing, the Bravia Theatre U is by far the best sounding speaker we’ve tested in this category, easily beating the three-star Sony SRS-NS7 that came before it and Panasonic GN01, which I used at my old job before joining What Hi-Fi?.

That’s why we gave the Bravia Theatre U four stars and concluded:

“While more bass would be nice, the Theatre U is easily the best audio device we’ve ever hung around our necks.”

But, despite all my efforts, I still just don’t 'get' neckband speakers. To be clear, I'm not attacking Sony and this product specifically, I mean that I don’t get the appeal of neckband speakers as a category.

There are two key reasons for this. First, the fact they are for “personal use”. Because of their design they can only deliver on their "personalised" claim for one person at a time, but actually make noise that everyone can hear.

So if I use one to watch a movie in bed, my wife down the hall will still hear the sound. Equally, I couldn't use them to watch movies on a plane or train without severely annoying the people around me.

So for this specific use case, a headphone form factor makes more sense in my mind. Then I can enjoy the experience at a local level without bothering anyone else.

The Apple AirPods Max paired with an Apple TV 4K or modern iPad do a fine job showcasing how to do “home cinema” Spatial Audio with headphones.

Why make things needlessly more complicated with a new design and category of speakers no one has asked for? It feels like a simple case of 'if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it' to me.

Then there’s the actual form factor. Regular readers will know I accepted I am not cool a long time ago. I’m a proud prog fan who has a collection of Styx T-shirts and have zero regret admitting I regularly sing Meatloaf ballads in the shower.

This, plus Gen Zers’ reaction to my wardrobe and music choices at my local, means I have come to accept I’m not going to be The Fonz anytime soon.

But even I, in all my millennial awkwardness, draw the line at wearing something that looks like a techie toilet seat around my neck when watching movies. I have some pride remaining and I plan to hold on to it for as long as possible.

Which is why, no dig at Sony, Panasonic or anyone else interested in experimenting with the category, I don’t see the appeal of neckband home cinema speakers.

Each to their own though, I guess.

MORE:

These are the best surround sound packages we’ve reviewed

We rate the best Dolby Atmos soundbars

Our pick of the best wireless headphones

If you are shopping for a surround-sound package but are on a tight budget, then we’d thoroughly recommend considering the Q Acoustics 3010i Cinema Pack.

The Q Acoustics 3010i Cinema Pack is currently one of the cheapest, five-star, 5.1 systems we’ve reviewed and continue to recommend, retailing for £689 at Peter Tyson.

That is a massive £206 saving on its review price and £100 cheaper than its current cost at most rival stores.

We reviewed the 3010i 5.1 cinema package all the way back in 2019 and liked it so much we not only gave it a five star rating, it also secured two back-to-back What Hi-Fi? Award wins, before being dethroned in 2021.

Despite its age, it remains one of the cheapest 5.1 surround sound systems we’ve fully reviewed and recommend.

For the money you get a compact, standout speaker package that to this day delivers a home cinema experience that’s more than good enough for most people.

Highlights are its surprisingly loud, room filling sound and robust central channel, which delivers nicely expressive audio.

You’ll also struggle to find a better tonally balanced system with such an expansive sound field at this price.

As we said in our Q Acoustics 3010i 5.1 Cinema Pack review:

“As effective in a surround presentation as in stereo, the 3010i forms the basis of an excellent all-round speaker package.”

We only have two minor words of caution. First, if you really care about low-end heft, be warned the subwoofer lacks outright impact.

Second, while this is the best deal we’ve seen for a package less than £700, if you have a little more to spend there are other packages on a deal right now.

One of the best is on the newer step-up Q Acoustics 3050i Cinema Pack. The package is on sale for £899 for VIP members at Peter Tyson. That is a solid £450 saving on its review price.

The five-star package, which won a 2021 What Hi-Fi? Award, offers more powerful, insightful bass, and is slightly more versatile, based on our testing.

If you are not a VIP don’t worry, all you have to do is sign up for a free Peter Tyson account to unlock the discount.

But if you can’t stretch that far, we’d strongly recommend considering the smaller, more affordable 3010i package, especially at its current price.

MORE:

These are the best surround sound systems we’ve reviewed

We rate the best Dolby Atmos soundbars

Our picks of the best projectors

Premium German AV and lifestyle brand Loewe has announced the release of We. BOOST, its new wireless Dolby Atmos home theatre sound system – and it could be a competitor for Sony's Bravia Theatre Quad system.

Priced at £999 and set to be available at selected retailers from June, the package is made up of four wireless active satellite speakers and a subwoofer. The speaker configuration also supports a range of Dolby audio formats, including Dolby Atmos, to create a sense of 3D sound thanks to its upwards-firing speakers.

Loewe says it has a 4.1.2 speaker configuration, but a closer look indicates it has four upward-firing drivers (one in each satellite speaker) instead of two. We have reached out to Loewe for clarification.

Perhaps surprisingly, this system could perk the ears of football fans as well as AV nerds. That’s because French football captain Kylian Mbappé partially owns the brand. He has previously partnered with Loewe for the release of the We. HEAR Pro Bluetooth speaker.

There’s good news for those squinting in the dark to try to turn the volume up (we’ve all been there), as the remote control has an integrated OLED display for individual adjustment of bass, treble, and various sound modes, as well as energy-saving Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connectivity. The “effortless to set-up” 720 watts system uses a wireless signal via an included HDMI eARC dongle.

While Loewe has a wide range of TVs (and a projector) in its lineup, this system is compatible with TVs and projectors from other manufacturers.

We're yet to test this system, but it has the possibility of being a premium sound package worth considering, due to one key feature.

When we tested the Sony Bravia Theatre Quad, for example, our main criticism was its bass-light performance and lack of a subwoofer, which, when paired with a hefty price tag, ultimately let it down.

Loewe has cleverly opted to include a subwoofer with the We. BOOST system, which should negate the low-end issue we faced with the Quads – making this new wireless Dolby Atmos system one to watch.

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These are the best surround sound systems

Check out the best soundbar deals right now

And here are best TVs to pair it with

Despite Samsung's five-star Dolby Atmos full sound system wowing us during testing, the eye-watering price tag of £1699 surely put many off. But all is not lost! You can now get the awesome Samsung HW-Q990D for £969 at Amazon. That's a grand total of £730 you could save.

We saw a short-lived saving back in October where a cashback offer effectively brought the cost of the system down to £579, but this was (understandably) quickly withdrawn so could be chalked up to a mistake on the seller's part. That makes this the closest to a 'real' deal we have seen in a while.

Consisting of a soundbar, wireless subwoofer and two wireless surround speakers, this impressive system boasts a massive 11.1.4 total channel count. We said in our review that it is a "hugely compelling package" and good value compared to others in the market, so this deal is worth your time.

The HW-Q990D is definitely up there when it comes to the best Dolby Atmos soundbars. Creating truly immersive and realistic sound is what all soundbars are really aiming for, and this package delivers.

We said in our review: "The Q990D does a superb job of delivering Atmos-ness[.] It really fills the room with sound and places effects in three-dimensional space with impressive precision for a soundbar system. It’s not only that planes sweep across, above and behind the listening position, impressive though that is, but the varied distance from you that effects appear in – some very close to your ear and others across the room."

It has some great features as well, most notably its upgraded HDMI connectivity. With two HDMI 2.1 inputs supporting 4K/120Hz, VRR and ALLM, it's perfect for gamers looking to maximise their next-gen console set-ups. The system also supports the latest audio formats, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.

If your budget can stretch to this deal on an immersive soundbar, then this is one for the top of your list.

MORE:

This is our full review of the Samsung HW-Q990D

These are the best soundbars we recommend

And here are the best soundbar deals right now

We're all massive music and movie fans at What Hi-Fi? – and if you're a regular visitor to our website or a subscriber to our wonderful magazine, the chances are you are too.

So why wouldn't we revel in the genre that brings them both together? The best musicals, music biopics and other musical movies compel not only through their narrative and cinematography but also their magnetic and memorable on-screen performances and accompanying soundtracks.

Our team of expert AV reviewers always use some sort of musical movie to test a product's audio chops, whether that's one of our favourites (below) or a live concert performance, allowing them to enjoy – and scrutinise – the delivery of both audiovisual aspects.

Every single movie on this list has been chosen for how it can put a surround sound system to the test and reveal its strengths or weaknesses, while, of course, entertaining and standing as a solid movie otherwise.

If you think we’ve missed any, be sure to get in touch on our social media channels or forums!

A Complete Unknown (2024)

By Alastair Stevenson, editor-in-chief

These days it feels like every actor has to try and do at least one musical biopic to prove they’re a “serious thespian”.

A Complete Unknown is Timothée Chalamet’s turn at the bat. In it, he places iconic poet and singer Bob Dylan as he transitions from his early folk roots into an electric superstar.

As with Austin Butler’s take on Elvis before him, the movie sees Chalamet immerse himself in Dylan, even performing several of the artist’s greatest hits – guitar, vocals, harmonica and all.

While some of the What Hi-Fi? team feel the movie is a little too safe with some of the more interesting parts of Dylan’s life during the period, there’s no denying Chalamet’s performances of the music are excellent.

Even the minor off-key inflections in Dylan’s voice are spot on for every track – to the point you could argue it’s further proof of the ongoing adage that’s been doing the rounds since Jimi Hendrix covered All Along the Watchtower: that people can do Bob Dylan better than Bob Dylan.

Add to this stellar supporting performances from an all star cast, including Edward Norton, and the movie stands as one of the best musical movies to arrive this year. Whether you’re an existing fan or newcomer to Dylan’s music, it’s well worth a watch and listen.

See A Complete Unknown on Amazon

Better Man (2024)

By Robyn Quick, staff writer

When the concept of Better Man was announced, I, like most people, was incredibly dubious. Robbie Williams played by a CGI ape? No, thank you. But this film just proves you can’t judge a film by its bizarre setup.

While the singer’s music may not be to everyone’s taste, it certainly makes for a toe-tapping and surprisingly moving overall watch.

The biopic follows Williams from childhood as he struggles to fit in with other kids to his whirlwind success in boyband Take That when he was just 16.

The fact that he is portrayed as a chimp (but still voiced by Williams himself) is slightly jarring at first, but very soon you fall for the cheeky but tragic character.

As Williams and the rest of the band are skyrocketed to fame, they dance down Regent Street, belting out Rock DJ, which has all the pizzazz of a real-life performance. Even if you are not a Robbie Williams fan, Better Man provides a delicate mix of boyband magic and tender emotion.

Buy Better Man on Amazon

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

By Alastair Stevenson, editor-in-chief

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is an iconic movie most people remember for its impactful visual style and atypical claymation.

But if you’re a fan of musicals and want a hauntingly good movie that will really put your surround-sound system through its paces, its soundtrack is a great option.

With music by Danny Elfman, the movie is full of great tracks that’ll really test your system’s precision, dynamics and ability to express detail.

Highlights include the orchestral opening track, This Is Halloween, the soulful Jack’s Lament and iconic – and atypically perky by Burton’s standards – What’s This?. The sheer range of bangers on display makes this a wonderfully fun disc to push your system.

This, plus the fact that it comes with stereo, 5.1 and 7.1 tracks available, is a key reason the Blu-ray is a great test disc you’ll often see playing in our dedicated test rooms.

Buy The Nightmare Before Christmas on Amazon

Wicked (2024)

By Becky Roberts, managing editor

If you've somehow managed to avoid seeing Wicked, you almost certainly wouldn't have avoided witnessing its hype on social media.

The latest Broadway movie adaptation, starring Ariana Grande as Glinda the Good and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba (the to-be Wicked Witch of the West), covers the first act of the stage production and follows the meeting of the two aspiring witches at Shiz University and the events that lead to their first meeting with the Wizard of Oz.

The sequel, Wicked: For Good, will continue the story, covering the second act, and is scheduled for release this November.

Considering the wealth of established, popular, sing-along musical numbers at Wicked's disposal and the vocal chops of pop icon Grande and Tony- and Emmy-winning musical star Erivo, not to mention how advanced modern production and filming is for movie musicals nowadays – oh, and the $150m budget! – it is hardly surprising that the soundtrack is an audio masterclass.

The audio is squeaky clean throughout, while the final, iconic sequence for Defying Gravity is a particularly glossy advert for the Dolby Atmos mix (available on the 4K Blu-ray and Apple TV+ rental).

See Wicked on Amazon

Interstella 5555 (2003)

By Alastair Stevenson, editor-in-chief

It is yet to get the 4K Blu-ray treatment, but if you’re a music fan and want a great movie to test your surround sound system’s low end heft, rhythmic precision and dynamics then Interstella 5555 is a hard one to beat.

Though it may not be the best known entry on this list, it’s definitely one of the most interesting. The movie is the result of a collaboration between an all-star team of Japanese anime heavyweights and iconic, and sadly retired, French electronic/pop legends Daft Punk.

The movie plays the band’s second album, Discovery, from start to finish and follows the journey of a group of interstellar pop stars.

Discovery is a great test disc for any audio system, full of complex time changes, swooping synths and interlocking parts.

Pair it with Interstella 5555’s awesome artwork and animation and it’s easy to see why we use it to test surround-sound packages as well.

Buy Interstella 5555 on Amazon

Tár (2022)

By Becky Roberts, managing editor

Watch the trailer (above) or read the plot synopsis for Tár and you might well assume it was a biopic on a legendary composer you somehow hadn't heard of.

But the psychological drama, written and directed by Todd Field (Little Children), is actually about a fictional world-renowned conductor of a Berlin orchestra, Lydia Tár, played by Cate Blanchett.

An uncompromising intense and oft-surreal portrayal of Tár as her life unravels in the face of a damning accusation plays out on a knife's edge – something the musical orchestrations really work hard to accentuate.

Rather than inauthentically uses existing compositions, the soundtrack is an original 20-track concept album by Icelandic musician Hildur Guðnadóttir, featuring Blanchett and co-star cellist Sophie Kauer as well as iconic orchestras from London and Germany.

It's a fantastic work on its own and deservedly won as much acclaim as the movie itself.

Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)

By Alastair Stevenson, editor-in-chief

To be clear, this list is focused on movies with cracking soundtracks to test your speakers. And as music scores and soundtracks to push your sound system go, you’ll struggle to do better than Bohemian Rhapsody.

The movie is an autobiography of the iconic British band Queen that heavily focuses on frontman Freddie Mercury.

The soundtrack runs through pretty much all of the band’s long catalogue of hits, making it a great way to gauge any surround-sound system’s holistic performance.

If you’re short on time we’d recommend checking out the film’s Live Aid scene, which is particularly majestic thanks to the care the film’s audio team took while shooting to ensure the performance was as authentic as possible.

This involved a lot of technical wizardry using a secret 16-track recording the BBC made at the time, to replicate the ambience of the original performance.

This, plus some studio magic, let them accurately create an authentic surround-sound track that matched the original and placement of each camera shot.

If you’re a music fan, and Queen fan in particular, this is a test disc you should 100 per cent have in your collection.

Buy Bohemian Rhapsody on Amazon

Rocketman (2019)

By Alastair Stevenson, editor-in-chief

If you have a Dolby Atmos system and want a great movie with a cracking soundtrack to properly push it to its limits, we’d thoroughly recommend checking out Rocketman.

Directed by Dexter Fletcher, the film is a biopic of English singer/songwriter Elton John. The movie includes stellar performance by the entire cast and is full of some of John’s best songs.

As an added perk, its Atmos mix is incredible. Every performance does proper justice to the music being played and uses Atmos' enhanced directional quality to give you a proper “dome of sound” experience.

Whether it’s the roar of the crowd crashing over from above you like a wave as John’s piano starts to emanate from the central channel, or ambient noise on the street, the sound is universally excellent.

Even the music alone shines, with every instrument holding a distinct place in the mix and the sound offering wonderful dynamism, making it a great gauge of any surround-sound package.

Buy Rocketman on Amazon

A Star Is Born (2018)

By Harry McKerrell, staff writer

Much like the enduring popularity of dear old Godzilla, 2018’s A Star Is Born proved that people won’t get sick of a good thing if the brainboxes behind the scenes are clever enough to give that thing a fresh new lick of creative paint.

The story of a young musician’s rise to stardom under the mentorship of an established yet fading icon has been told multiple times in different guises since the ‘50s, but Bradley Cooper’s gut-wrenching spin on the tale might end up going down as one of the very best.

A lot of that owes to the movie’s musical credentials. Enlisting the help of Lady Gaga and proving that he’s got his own fairly decent set of pipes, Cooper’s selection of musical accompaniments is robust, emotionally resonant works that avoid the trap of tipping over into downright schmaltz.

Shallow is rightly the one everyone knows, but I defy anyone to watch the movie in its entirety and then remain dry-eyed while listening to Gaga singing Always Remember Us This Way or I’ll Never Love Again. It still hurts!

Buy A Star Is Born on Amazon

Whiplash (2014)

By Ainsley Walker, former staff writer

Let's get one thing straight – Whiplash is a sports movie disguised as a music film. It's a portrayal of one man's desire to better his peers and push his body beyond its limits, transcending his current physical restraints no matter the cost.

It follows the story of a young drummer named Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) as he begins studying at the fictional Shaffer Conservatory set in New York City.

The institution shares a lot of similarities with the real Julliard School, known for its brutal expectations. Andrew's ultimate goal is to reach the same heights as his idol, legendary jazz drummer Buddy Rich, and his teacher Terence Fletcher (J. K. Simmons) does not make it an easy ride at all.

The soundtrack for Whiplash revolves around the big band type of sound that drummers like Rich were famous for.

It features an interesting assortment of original jazz pieces, original underscore parts, and classical jazz standards that featured various artists including the iconic track Caravan by Stan Getz and Duke Ellington, which plays a big role in the film's overall sound and story.

Buy Whiplash on Amazon

Hamilton (2020)

By Tom Parsons, TV & AV Editor

Not a musical movie as such but a stage musical filmed and released on streaming during the darkest days of the Covid pandemic, Hamilton is a stunning production that looks and sounds superb on a properly sorted home system.

Hamilton tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, the orphan who became a military officer, a trusted advisor to George Washington and one of the US's Founding Fathers. It's an exceptional story told in exceptional fashion, via the medium of hip-hop.

Lin-Manuel Miranda not only came up with the idea, he wrote all of the music and lyrics (and an accompanying book), and he was the star when the show was filmed back in 2016.

There's also a superb appearance by Jonathan Groff (he of Mindhunter fame) as the delightfully unpleasant King George.

Thanks to the HDR picture and Dolby Atmos audio, this is as close as you can get to a theatre experience without travelling to Broadway or the West End.

Stream Hamilton on Disney+

The Greatest Showman (2017)

By Kashfia Kabir, Hi-Fi and Audio Editor

This movie musical has been a gift for AV demos, with brands such as JBL, McIntosh, Sonus Faber and Sony (to name a few) using this Award-winning film's incredibly catchy and extravagant collection of songs to showcase surround-sound systems both small and large, affordable and supremely high-end.

It's a genre-spanning soundtrack that covers stadium rock, big pop tunes, EDM and hip-hop-infused numbers – and, of course, power ballads.

The ensemble title track and empowering This Is Me are rousing, thrilling tracks that will test your system's sense of power, loudness and organisation, while Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron's The Other Side duet is verbal sparring in musical form, dynamically and rhythmically fast-paced and full of personality.

But the standout track and demo favourite is undeniably Never Enough by Loren Allred (who provides the singing voice for star Rebecca Ferguson).

It's a beautiful song and a real test of how musical your system is when it comes to vocal subtlety, the nuances of a human voice expressing emotions and, of course, how well it can handle the higher frequencies as the heart-tugging song steps up a gear and soars to a crescendo.

Thrilling, goosebump-inducing stuff.

Stream The Greatest Showman on Disney+

A Hard Day's Night (1964)

By Becky Roberts, managing editor

The height of Beatlemania sounded fabulous (apart from all the screaming). A Hard Day's Night was the first of five movies that the Fab Four would feature in.

The black-and-white mockumentary stars Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr as fictionalised versions of themselves as they make their way to a London TV show.

Featuring gaffs with hysterical fans, a mischievous grandfather and a frustrated TV producer, the movie comically depicts a typical 'day in the life of' the band members back in the late 60s.

Its unapologetically, no-holds-barred cheesiness is utterly charming, the boys' charisma and director Richard Lester's light-hearted framing carrying the 75-minute runtime with the ease of a Christmas Special, and the soundtrack is, as you'd expect, musical jukebox gold.

Presented on 4K Blu-ray with a fully restored negative and a 5.1 surround (DTS-HD Master Audio) mix created by none other than Giles Martin (of course) at Abbey Road Studios (of course), it's an audio-visual romp for your home cinema system

Buy A Hard Day's Night, on Amazon

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If you want to really improve your TV's audio beyond one of the best soundbars, you need one of the best surround sound systems. But these come in multiple configurations, including 5.1 and 7.2.

Wondering which to go for? Let us be your guide.

We'll explain what these systems entail, how they differ, and the pros and cons of each. That way, you can buy the best system for you, and enjoy the true home cinema experience for many hours to come.

• Which TVs sound the best? We find out

What do 5.1 and 7.2 mean?

These numbers refer to how many of what type of speakers the setup contains. The first number is how many 'standard' speakers it involves, while the number after the decimal point is the number of subwoofers.

So a 5.1 setup will involve five speakers (ordinarily a centre channel, plus two front and two rear speakers), and one subwoofer. A 7.2 system adds two additional 'standard' speakers and a second subwoofer.

Is 5.1 or 7.2 better?

It all comes down to your situation. More speakers will create a more impactful sound, and adding two extra speakers at the back will make the audio much more immersive. An extra subwoofer will help even out the bass response as well, spreading the bass equally throughout the room.

But 7.2 systems certainly have their downsides.

The first is space. Most people don't have room to accommodate nine separates, at least not without cluttering up their lounge.

Then there's the question of arrangement. Adding two extra speakers at the back of the room often isn't practical, particularly if your sofa is against the back wall (as most people's will be to maximise floorspace).

In such cases, a better solution could be adding two Dolby Atmos channels (via Atmos toppers) at the front of the room to create a 5.1.2 system – assuming your AV receiver supports Atmos, of course.

Some AV receivers also don't support 7.2 systems, as they're limited to 5.1. But most do.

Then there's the cost. Because it involves more speakers, a 7.2 system will be more expensive than a 5.1. For example, the Klipsch Reference 605 Atmos 7.1.2 package is £1999 at Richer Sounds, but the 5.1.2 version is over £300 cheaper.

If you have the money and the space, a decent 7.2 system will provide a fantastic experience. But for many of us, a 5.1 arrangement will more than suffice.

Advantages of surround sound vs a soundbar

We're big fans of soundbars here at What Hi-Fi?. They're compact, and usually more affordable than a surround sound system. But they do have their downsides.

You have to make sure your model will fit with your TV. If your soundbar is too tall it will obscure the bottom part of the TV screen.

LG and Samsung make soundbars specifically for use with their TVs, so you know they will fit and look all of a piece. But they don't sound the best.

It's not just a case of finding room for it, either. If it has upward-firing speakers, as many models do, it can't have anything above it as that would block the sound. So you can't place it on a lower shelf.

Then there's the spread of sound it produces. Because all the speakers are directly under the TV, you won't get a truly immersive sound as you will with a proper surround system. Even with Dolby Atmos and other processing to create a 'virtual' surround sound, there's no substitute for the real thing.

That's why if you have the budget, and the space, we recommend a 5.1 or 7.2 surround sound system – or a full-fat Dolby Atmos speaker system if you can go that far.

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Not only is BMW’s 7 Series saloon up there with the very best in terms of luxury and comfort, it also offers one of the most tech-packed interiors you’ll find on four wheels.

And that includes the sound system. For BMW’s flagship full-size saloon, you wouldn’t expect Bowers & Wilkins to be too far away. After all, the legendary British speaker brand offers sound systems for several models in BMW’s portfolio, including the five-star set-up we tested in its superb iX electric vehicle.

For the new 7 Series, B&W has pushed the boat out even further with a Diamond Surround Sound System which uses no fewer than 36 (yes, 36!) speakers. And now we’ve been fully immersed we can report back with our findings…

Price

BMW’s premium executive saloon doesn’t come cheap – our press car as tested costs £142,354 including all options.

The Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System is part of BMW’s Ultimate Pack, available for the 7 Series. It isn’t available as a single option, which means you have to pay a pretty hefty £22,000 for the privilege, although the pack does cover a whole suite of tech options 

It includes everything from massage and ventilated seats to BMW’s Sky Lounge panoramic sunroof and high-tech Parking Assistant Pro which helps you slot the sizeable saloon into any space that can accommodate it.

Systems

In a first for Bowers & Wilkins, there isn’t just one sound system on offer for the 7 Series; there are two different options available to potential buyers. There’s the standard set-up which comes equipped to any car that rolls off the production line and there’s the optional step-up system.

So, the standard Bowers & Wilkins Surround Sound System uses 18 speakers powered by an 11-channel amplifier and has a total power output of 655 watts.

Impressively, the step-up Diamond Surround Sound System boosts the speaker count to 36, increases the number of powered channels to 32 and trebles the power output to 1965 watts.

25mm Nautilus® Diamond dome tweeters are added to the doors and dashboard, while an upgraded die-cast aluminium chassis is introduced to the car’s midrange/woofer speakers. An extra 10cm Continuum midrange driver is added to the dashboard (the system already features the cones in the front and rear doors). The Diamond Surround Sound System also gets 4 aluminium 3D speakers inserted in the headlining and extra headrest speakers in the front (they come as standard in the rear).

You also get more sound options to play with in the flagship system, including a 4D Audio Bass Experience which you experience through eight, ‘4D’ shakers positioned in the backrests of the front and rear seats.

Sound features and settings

Bowers & Wilkins gives you a choice of 4 different sound profiles to help tweak the sound to suit your sonic taste.

Studio claims to be the most authentic setting and during testing, we found this to be the case and helped deliver the most balanced and neutral audio.

The Concert setting adds space and extra processing. Music has more of a reverb around it to give the impression you’re listening in a concert hall. The soundfield lacks a bit of focus and solidity, instead preferring to give you more of a spread across the cabin.

The ‘On stage’ setting makes it sound like you’re yes, you guessed it, on stage surrounded by the band or orchestra. Again, you’re treated to a wide soundfield but there’s a greater sense of solidity and immersion thanks to a more prominent overhead effect. 

‘Rear’ simply caters more for passengers in the rear of the car, shifting information from the front of the cabin and into the rear speakers.

You can alter the ‘3D intensity’ in the concert, on stage and rear modes - this translates into more (or less) information being fed through the height speakers in the car’s headlining. During testing we preferred to keep the intensity relatively low so as not to to distract too much from the sound coming through the main speakers.

The 4D bass experience provided by those shakers can be set on a sliding scale of intensity from one to five or you can turn it off completely. It will be down to personal preference whether you like the sensation and if you do, how much you want to feel its impact.

With the feature turned on, we felt it combined a general rumble with more targeted punching sensations depending on the bass information in the track. We found it too intrusive and distracting on the higher settings and preferred the subtlety of the lower settings just to help add a little extra reinforcement.

You can even adjust the 'Personalised Surround Intensity', i.e. the audio coming through the headrest speakers for the driver and all passengers. Again, you’ve got a sliding scale of one to five or you can have it off. We found it can add a little boost to the feeling of immersion you get, but again, we wouldn’t have it on the higher settings as they cand distract from the overall sound.

Sound quality

Navigate the on-screen menus and you can fire up Bowers & Wilkins’ own ‘Experience the Sound’ audio demo, which gives you a quick blast of the system’s capabilities in a FLAC 5.1 surround sound mix.

It paints a good picture of the system as it throws effects between channels but we’ve got a few of our own hand-picked test tracks ready to roll.

We start with Candy Paint from Post Malone and you are immediately drawn to the level of detail on display. The slightly echoey chimes that start the track and hang around at the top of the sound field sound pristine and sharply drawn.

They sit in their own space and are joined by Malone’s vocal which hangs nicely in front of you. It sounds textured, emotional and believable. Then there’s the repetitive patter of a drum machine that taps away in the background but blends effortlessly into the soundstage.

Low frequencies make their presence felt – they’re weighty and solid although we’d like a bit more control and definition. The system doesn't seem able to sharpen those edges and discriminate between notes quite as effectively as it can with the mids and highs. The track also lacks a bit of dynamic thrust and flair which some systems use to help grab and hold your attention.

Switching to Beethoven’s Symphony No.5 in C Major under the control of Herbert Von Karajan and once again the system's ability to strip out fine detail in the mids and upper realm comes to the fore. The string section sounds wonderfully precise from start to finish and how the system handles high frequencies is a real treat.

The space around the orchestra allows for clear differentiation between the different sections. Quieter moments are allowed space to breathe, aided by the BMW’s well-isolated cabin which keeps listeners nicely isolated from tyre and engine noise.

Verdict

There’s no doubt the Diamon Surround Sound System is an impressive set-up. To get all 36 speakers working together as a cohesive unit can’t have been a simple task and it does produce an immersive and insightful sound. There’s a huge amount of detail on offer and the sense of refinement and sophistication, especially at the top end is something that few rivals we’ve heard can match.

We’d like the set-up to sound a bit more fun and for the low frequencies to be tightened a touch but for long journeys travelling in luxury this system has a lot going for it.

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The price of Sony’s five-star HT-A9 surround sound system has crashed, thanks to this stellar Sevenoaks Black Friday deal.

The deal lets you grab the Sony HT-A9 for £1399, a £400 saving on its regular £1799 price tag.

We’d recommend jumping on the deal fast as not only did the Sony HT-A9 score a perfect five stars when we reviewed it, but it’s also one of the systems our very own TV/AV Editor, Tom Parsons, uses at home.

Key highlights include a surprisingly simple setup process that, once the satellite speakers are placed, delivers wonderfully detailed surround sound. This led our reviewers to conclude: 

“This is an accessible and generous set-up for people who want to add entertaining audio to their living room without being precious and would well suit those with large families or who live in awkward spaces. It is incredibly forgiving in its placement.”

Our only minor issue was that its low end was a little underwhelming, which is why we’d recommend also investing in the optional Sony SA-SW3 wireless subwoofer if you want the best experience possible. If that sounds tempting, we’re pleased to report the subwoofer has also had a hefty discount at Sevenoaks Sound and Vision. Specifically, you can pick it up now for £349, a £100 saving on its regular £449 price.

These are two of many great home cinema deals doing the rounds this Black Friday. Also, make sure to check out our best Black Friday soundbar deals and best black Friday speaker deals for other cracking savings.

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Being one of the jewels in BMW’s crown, a new 5 Series is always a huge deal and this 2023 version (the 8th Generation) brings some of the biggest and boldest design and technology changes the range has ever seen.

It’s absolutely packed to bursting point with all manner of tech, from the option of fully electric drivetrains to BMW’s Curved Display and even sees the debut of in-car gaming in the 5 Series.

For What Hi-Fi? it’s a big deal, because it once again sees a Bowers & Wilkins sound system offered as a premium option. We were recently invited to a media event and managed to get behind the wheel of a BMW i5 M40 and hear what this new generation of B&W system brings to the party.

System

Bowers & Wilkins has featured in the 5 Series since 2016 and we tested a previous iteration back in 2018 which was called the Diamond Surround Sound System and included the company’s trademark diamond dome tweeters. It used 16 speakers powered by a 10-channel, 1400W amplifier.

In this 8th Gen car, it is now simply called the Bowers & Wilkins Surround Sound System, as diamond dome tweeters are reserved for other models in the BMW range. However, it does include B&W’s Continuum cone technology which is used in the midrange speakers found in each door.

The B&W system comes as standard if you opt for the top-of-the-range BMW i5 M60 (which is the car we drove and pictured here) but the good news is that it’s available as an individual option for other models in the range in the UK and US. Adding the system will set you back £1250 / $950.

For that, you get 18 speakers, although the i5 fully electric cars only have 17. This is because the car batteries leave no space for the two woofers under the front seats. In this model, they’re replaced by a single subwoofer in the boot. The system is driven by a 655 watt amplifier with surround processing provided by Harman's Logic 7 software.

For those wondering, as standard the new 5 Series comes fitted with a Harman Kardon system with 12 speakers and a 205 Watt amplifier.

The full speaker line-up is as follows…

• 7x 25mm aluminium tweeters
• 7x 10cm midrange speakers (x4 with B&W’s Continuum cone technology)
• 2x (50cm + 80cm) dual-balanced woofers arranged in opposition to each other
• 2x bass woofers under the front seats (for non i5 models)
• 1x 20cm dual voice coil subwoofer in the boot (for i5 only)

Infotainment

The 5 Series cabin is an impressive place to be and taking pride of place on the dashboard is the BMW Curved Display. The single unit combines a 12.3in display behind the steering wheel and a 14.9in display next to it, which caters for all your infotainment needs.

It’s controlled by BMW’s trademark iDrive system, running BMW’s latest Operating System 8.5. The main screen is a touchscreen, but we found it easier to use the rotary control on the centre console which also has a volume scroll wheel and buttons for switching between navigation, media and telephone.

There’s wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, while you also get access to Video on Demand from the likes of YouTube and Pluto TV. Pluto TV comes via the Powered by TiVo platform which is making its debut on the 5 Series.

You’re not short of charging points in the 5 Series, with a wireless charging tray and two USB-C inputs up front and a couple of USB-C inputs in the rear which can rise to four depending on the optional packages you add to the car.

And, it’s not just the Bowers & Wilkins system that brings sound enhancements to the i5. The sounds that accompany the different driving modes have been created with input from the world-famous film score composer Hans Zimmer.

Sport mode, for example, has a fruity, futuristic sound with plenty of thrust while there’s more of a sparkle to the sound that comes when you’re in the Efficient driving mode.

Sound

Bowers & Wilkins provides a 5.1 surround-sound demo in FLAC which sends various sounds from chimes to drums and strings throughout the cabin and between and across speakers to give you a taste of its surround credentials. It’s a neat demo, but there’s no substitute for playing your own music through it.

While we’re weaving our way through some country roads, we have time to play a handful of tracks starting with This Moment, the result of a hook-up between Chase and Status and Manchester band Blossoms. The poppy drum & bass track sounds suitably fast-paced and fun through the B&W system.

Highs don’t seem to sound harsh, with mids solid and relatively expressive and lows displaying a decent amount of weight. We didn't find ourselves heading straight for the sound menus to tinker, which is a sign that the system is doing some things right.

We switch over to Drake’s Too Much and there seems to be a good sense of rhythm and a decent amount of space around the main beat, the vocal and the percussion that circles above. With the Logic 7 processing engaged, you can alter the surround intensity in the menus. We tend to leave it in its normal position but also experiment at both ends of the scale. Alternatively, you can turn it off completely – the result is you lose the surround effect but seem to gain a bit more focus.

Verdict

The set-up in the all-electric i5 seems promising and the price to have this added as an option seems quite reasonable compared to other systems on the market.

We weren’t able to compare the Bowers & Wilkins system to the standard Harman Kardon set-up to hear if there is a big jump in sound quality, but first impressions were positive. Hopefully, we’ll have a little longer with the car further down the line, so we can bring you our definitive star rating.

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If you're building your dream home cinema setup, remember that sound is a vital component. We think, in fact, its equally as important as the picture element, as there's no point in investing in one of the best OLED TVs or best projectors, only for flat, unengaging sound to ruin the immersion.

That's why we've tested and reviewed a wide range of the best surround sound options, from Dolby Atmos soundbars to fully-fledged 5.1 speaker packages.

These top-notch speakers and soundbars deliver exciting cinematic sound that's guarenteeed to do your favourite blockbuster justice, and the best part is that you don't have to spend through the nose to get that.

We have options on this list ranging from a suprisingly brilliant Hisense soundbar system complete with surround speakers and a dedicated subwoofer for under £300, all the way up to a premium and refined KEF package that looks as good as it sounds.

Every option here has been tested thoroughly by our expert reviews team, and you can find out more about how we test surround sound systems below.

Furthermore, our best AV receivers page should be your next port of call if you're building a setup from scratch, as you'll need a good amplifier to drive the surround sound speaker packages on this list.

With that out of the way, here are the best surround sound speaker systems.

The best speaker package

It is an indisputable fact that the best way to achieve the most convincing surround-sound experience is by placing individual speakers all around your room. Usually that would consist of a ready-made home cinema pack (HCP) put together by the manufacturer, but there’s nothing to stop you creating your own, as long as you include all the necessary components.

B&W itself doesn’t sell this particular setup as a bundle; but multiple retailers do. It consists of a pair of 606 S3 speakers for the left and right channels, a couple of 607 S3 speakers for the surrounds, an HTM6 S3 for the centre channel, and a ASW610 subwoofer. Don’t forget you’ll also need stands for the front and surround speakers.

Why this exact combination? Because all of the components are compact and well crafted, and collectively they deliver a spectacular performance. The sound is brilliantly dynamic and energetic, but also detailed and insightful, with excellent warmth and richness to the vocals. It can’t match the sonic scale of physically larger packages, but it’s still full-bodied and engaging.

It shouldn’t really come as a surprise that combining these five-star speakers would be so successful, but it’s still impressive just how well this DIY surround-sound package works.

Read the full Bowers & Wilkins 606 & 607 S3 speaker package review

The best soundbar system

Samsung's proposition with the HW-Q990F is simple and appealing. It builds upon the Award-winning HW-Q990D with a core upgrade that enhances the sonic experience as a whole, creating an irresistible soundbar system that's perfect for anyone whose goal is to avoid trailing cables around their living room at all costs.

The system features a Dolby Atmos soundbar, two wireless satellite speakers with side-firing and upward-firing drivers and a redesigned subwoofer that's now a cube rather than a cuboid.

Pumping out a staggering 300W of power despite its small footprint, this small (yet surprisingly capable) subwoofer delivers a controlled, yet deep and punchy kick of low end that elevates the system as a whole.

That's not to say that the main soundbar and surround speakers don't pull their weight, respectively. The Q990F soundbar is talented in its own right, delivering a crisp and detailed sound with impressive Dolby Atmos height effects that play a key role in enabling that "bubble of sound" that we often look for.

The main 'bar is also feature-packed, with HDMI 2.1 passthrough that supports up to 4K/120Hz signals with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision supported. It also includes a range of different sound presets, and settings can be easily tweaked via the Samsung SmartThings app.

It's backed up by the wireless surround speakers, which mesh nicely with the soundbar and subwoofer to create a cohesive and immersive home cinema package. It doesn't hesitate to put you directly in the centre of the action.

If convenience without sacrificing sound quality is your objective, then the HW-Q990F should absolutely be on your radar.

Read our full Samsung HW-Q990F review

The best affordable speaker package

With poise, effortlessness, cut-glass diction and charisma, the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 HCP is essentially the Audrey Hepburn of home theatre speaker packages.

The package is made up of a quartet of the excellent, mid-sized Diamond 12.1 bookshelf speakers for fronts and surrounds with the 12.C in the middle and the SW10 powered subwoofer supplying the bass.

The SW-10 sub is in some ways the star of the show: taut and dextrous, it is exceptionally musical and blends seamlessly with the system's speakers, thanks in no small part to they themselves having an impressive low end. The result is a rich and lively sound.

The SW10 delivers rich bass, but it never overpowers the midrange or treble. And, as a whole, the system sounds mature, impactful, agile and detailed.

The Diamond 12.1 system is an excellent choice for both music and film, and its combination of cinematic scale, relatively small physical dimensions and affordable price make it ideal for people who might otherwise not have considered a 'proper' home cinema setup.

For an appropriate AVR, we suggest trying the Denon AVR-X2800H. If we had to use one word to describe the sound of this receiver, it would be ‘confident’. The AVR-X2700H doesn’t try too hard to impress, as a nervously underpowered budget amp might.

It’s an easy and effective listen. No matter how hectic the action becomes, this Denon never misses a beat. It passes the laser blasts from speaker to speaker in a wonderfully coherent manner and, no matter the scene, creates a genuine sense of place.

Read the full Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 HCP review

The best premium speaker package

KEF's latest 5.1 surround sound system is an absolute gem of a speaker package, though it's a bit pricier than the alternatives on this list. We think it's worth the extra outlay, however, as this system sounds as good as it looks.

The five-star Q Concerto Meta standmount speakers headline this system, and they're supported by the Q1 Meta bookshelf speakers, Q6 centre channel, and the Kube 12 MIE subwoofer. KEF also has the Q4 Meta on wall speakers if you're looking to save space, but we preferred the Q1 Meta bookshelf units during our testing.

Performance-wise, the Q Concerto Meta 5.1 delivers a crisp, rich and powerful sound that allows every movie soundtrack to shine. It balances authority and agility with ease, resulting in a deeply engaging surround sound experience. The cohesion across the channels is excellent, leaving no obvious gaps between the channels, further increasing immersion.

The K12 MIE subwoofer is a standout component of this system, offering punchy, rich and expressive bass that stays perfectly in control even during challenging sequences. This sonic spectacle is wrapped up in a stylish package that we called "swooningly handsome" in our full review, with understated, suave styling throughout.

If your budget is a bit more flexible, and you're conscious about looks as well as sound quality, then this KEF system is a top recommendation.

Read our full KEF Q Concerto Meta 5.1 review

The best soundbar

If your idea of a soundbar doesn’t include any extraneous speakers like you get with the Samsung HW-Q990D (above), the Sonos Arc Ultra should be at the top of your shopping list.

We already loved the five-star, Award-winning Sonos Arc, so the idea of an improved version was very appealing, and the Ultra doesn’t disappoint. To the naked eye it looks identical to its predecessor, but the new model is a touch wider and not quite as tall. It still measures 114cm from end to end, though, so it’s best-suited to bigger TVs.

The big differences come underneath the grille, with seven tweeters, six midrange woofers, and a 'Sound Motion' woofer all combining to create a 9.1.4-channel configuration powered by 15 Class D amplifiers. That’s a notable upgrade from the original.

The result is a noticeable improvement in the way it handles bass, with a great combination of weight and control, but that’s just the beginning of its talents. The way it places particular sounds around you is particularly impressive, with loads of detail and dynamism.

For such a technologically impressive soundbar, though, there are some disappointments. While the setup experience and TruePlay customisation are slick the app itself isn't great, although it’s hardly something you’ll feel the need to use every day. The lack of extra HDMI inputs might also be frustrating if the TV you're planning to plug it into doesn’t have many.

Those minor quibbles aside, the Sonos Arc Ultra is certainly a soundbar that lives up to its name.

Read the full Sonos Arc Ultra review

The best wireless speaker system

Sony had a mammoth task on its hands when it set out to replace the fantastic HT-A9 wireless surround sound system, which it launched in 2021. Its answer to an updated speaker system was the Bravia Theatre Quad, a slimmer and more modernised take on the concept, and in many ways it was a considerable upgrade.

It's 16 channels, driven by 504W of amplification, delivers an immersive and engaging sound, aided by the inclusion of Dolby Atmos support. The HT-A9, on the other hand, featured 14 drivers in total; which is still impressive, but the Quad easily overshadows its predecessor.

We also praised its easy plug-and-play setup process, which is simple, efficient and tidy. There's no need to trail cables around your living room, and the Bravia Connect app leads you through the setup with an automatic calibration process that uses the microphone in your smartphone to tailor the sound to your space.

Sony was even kind enough to include an HDMI pass-through socket on the control hub box, which supports 4K/120Hz signals and HDR video too.

The Bravia Theatre Quad does struggle with bass somewhat, and the pricey external subwoofer feels like a necessity if you want to get the most out of this system; however, the issue is that the Quad system itself is very expensive.

That being said, if wireless convenience and cinematic sound are your two main priorities, the Bravia Theatre Quad is still a brilliant option.

The best cheap soundbar

Delivering Dolby Atmos from a small chassis is no mean feat yet the Sonos Beam Gen 2 achieves a convincing, immersive performance without so much as a vertical speaker in sight. Instead, when watching Atmos content, two of the soundbar's five front-facing arrays are dedicated to reproducing overhead and surround sounds. The soundbar then deploys its significant processing power to give the impression of height using psychoacoustic HRTF (head-related transfer function) technology.

While genuine overhead sounds are perhaps a stretch too far for this petite performer, its virtual delivery of the Atmos format outstrips any similarly priced soundbar and even a few that are more expensive. All told, the Beam Gen 2 delivers a spacious, enveloping soundscape that is full of detail and features three-dimensional effects with tangible motion.

Want an even more impressive soundstage? You can add two One SL rear speakers (£358 / $358 / AU$538) and a Sub (£699 / $699 / AU$999) for a more traditional surround set-up.

Not that many soundbars at this price point come with networking capabilities, but this being a Sonos product, the Beam Gen 2’s ability to integrate into a wireless multiroom system is fundamental to its design. This means you can stream to the Beam Gen 2 from a handheld device using Apple AirPlay 2, and Spotify Connect is built-in too. It also supports Amazon Music Ultra HD audio, which gives you access to lossless 24-bit/48kHz tracks as well as Dolby Atmos Music.

Despite the lack of upward drivers, if space and budget are limited there isn't a better Dolby Atmos soundbar that we would recommend.

Read the full Sonos Beam Gen 2 review

The best cheap soundbar system

If your budget doesn't stretch to the Samsung HW-Q990F (see above), then don't fret; Hisense has an alternative that costs a fraction of the Samsung system. The AX5125H doesn't score any points for its confusing name, but it makes up for that with a home cinema sound experience that greatly surpasses its shockingly low price tag.

It's a well-built, functional system that may not look as visually appealing as the rest of the options on this list, but the money saved has clearly gone towards making a system that punches way above its weight sonically.

Despite its small footprint, the system delivers a weighty, spacious sound that caught us off guard in our full review. We admit, we had some reservations going into our testing of the AX5125H, but its cinematic audio quickly dispelled those.

It manages to envelop us in a convincing display of surround sound, with a superb sense of Dolby Atmos height effects that soar over the seating position and dynamically move towards the rear speakers.

Bass is punchy and impactful, and while it can get a tad overexcited in certain instances, it's still a hugely impressive subwoofer for the price. It's also wireless, as are the surround speakers, and setup is a breeze, making this system super convenient overall.

If you're looking for an impressive system that doesn't break the bank, then this Hisense package is a compelling option indeed.

Read our full Hisense AX5125H review

The best compact speaker package

If you’re in the market for something more substantial than a soundbar but don’t have space to scatter speakers the size of wheelie bins around the place, Wharfedale’s DX-3 home cinema pack is right up your street.

The successor to the What Hi-Fi? Award-winning DX-2, this pint-sized package is perfect for smaller rooms, with the two-way closed-box design of the surround speakers meaning they can be placed close to a wall, while the centre channel will sit comfortably under the TV. The 70W subwoofer is relatively petite, too.

The diminutive dimensions of each component might suggest you’re going to get a small-scale sound from the DX-3, but it’s pleasingly cinematic, with punchy dynamics and plenty of detail. It doesn’t sound quite as rich or warm as its predecessor, but with the right amplifier that can probably be rectified.

It might not look or feel quite as premium as the DX-2 package did, and the RRP is £50 more expensive, but this is still a very affordable and hugely practical way to graduate from a soundbar setup.

Read the full Wharfedale DX-3 review

Also consider

• Q Acoustics 5040 5.1 Home Cinema: If you have space for floorstanders and want a 5.1 system that isn’t astronomically expensive, then the What Hi-Fi? Award-winning Q Acoustics 5040 5.1 package is a solid choice. Our only minor quibble is that some of the other systems on this list deliver a more full-bodied sound.
• Fyne Audio F500E AV Pack 2: Fyne Audio wowed us in the hi-fi testing room with its new, entry-level F501E floorstanding speakers, so a home cinema package featuring them in the top spot was immediately cause for excitement. In reality, the system is a little rough around the edges, but it still provides a very enjoyable and engaging cinematic sound at a reasonable price.
• Dali Oberon 5 5.1: The What Hi-Fi? Award-winning Dali Oberon 5 5.1 speaker package is a great surround system that delivers unparalleled performance. If you have money to spare and the space for it, it’s an excellent option well worth considering.
• Wharfedale Evo 4.4 5.1: If money is no object, then the Wharfdale Evo 4.4 5.1 speaker package is well worth a look. During our checks, it delivered brilliant, dynamic sound with great rhythmic precision. Just be warned, if space is tight, the central channel is outright huge.
• Sonos Arc: If you don’t have space for a speaker package, but want a great surround-sound experience from a soundbar instead, and don’t fancy the Sony HT-A7000, then the Sonos Arc should be your next port of call. It offers some of the best audio you’ll find on a soundbar and comes with the added flexibility of the Sonos ecosystem, which makes it easy to pair it with some of the brand’s other speakers and subwoofer.
• Sony HT-S2000: Sony's cheapest Dolby Atmos soundbar manages to muster up an impressive surround sound experience from a 'bar that costs considerably less than many options on this list. We think that the Hisense AX5125H is the better choice, but for those looking for an all-in-one bargai,n should consider this Sony.

How to choose the best surround sound system for you

Speakers or soundbar?
The first big question is whether to go for a speaker package or a soundbar. It really depends on how much space you have for a system.

A speaker package will give you true surround sound, as the speakers will be placed all around you in a 360-degree arrangement. But a full surround sound system means more boxes in your room, and you will also need an AV receiver to make the speakers work (unless you choose a wireless system such as Sony's HT-A9).

For most homes, a soundbar may well be the best option. It's a simpler, more elegant solution, as it combines speakers and amplification in a more discreet package.

There are soundbar packages that come with wireless surrounds and a subwoofer. These are smaller and easier to position than full-size speakers, but will still need to be placed near a power outlet.

Budget
Working out how much money you are willing to spend might seem like a very obvious thing to do, but bear in mind that a surround sound speaker package needs a separate amplifier to work, so factor that into your budget as well. If you already have one, is it suitable for the speakers you have in mind?

Dolby Atmos performance
Dolby Atmos is the pinnacle of home cinema surround sound right now and there are plenty of soundbars out there that are able to decode an Atmos signal. For the most believable sense of height, though, you will need a full speaker package with drivers that physically point upwards to bounce sound off your ceiling. (Even better, speakers actually installed above you, although that’s a pipe dream for most people.)

It’s true that the best soundbars are capable of some very clever tricks that fool our ears into thinking sound is coming from places it’s not, but there is still no substitute for the real thing. If you want the best Atmos performance, you’ll have to sacrifice some convenience and go for the full speaker package.

Connectivity
To make use of a surround sound speaker package you’ll need a home cinema amplifier (aka an AV receiver), which will work as the hub for all your other kit. A soundbar will connect directly to your TV either by HDMI or optical cable, so make sure yours is equipped with the necessary ports for the product you have in mind.

If your TV is a few years old you might also want to pick a soundbar that will enhance your system with streaming options such as Apple’s AirPlay 2 or Chromecast – while some also offer access to voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa. While these aren’t crucial for their home cinema functionality, they can come in very handy for controlling other smart home kit in your house.

Whichever surround sound system you consider, do your research and make sure it will fit your space and accommodate your games console, 4K Blu-ray player, set-top box, and whatever else you're planning on hooking up. Happy listening!

How we test

We test surround systems using a set methodology focused on direct comparisons and real-world listening.

Specifically, all surround sound systems are tested in our dedicated home cinema room in London. The room is acoustically treated and has been measured and marked to accommodate multiple configurations, including 5.1 and 7.2, as well as Atmos set-ups.

When testing we ensure we directly compare the home theatre surround sound system with any rival or alternative products we think the reader would also be considering.

We will swap in and out the systems as we run each test so we can make direct performance comparisons. Our reviewers never rely on memory when comparing performance. The speakers will also be run with our room’s reference Arcam AVR31 AVR.

When testing the surround sound system we run a variety of checks using a selection of test discs and streaming services to gauge various aspects of its performance. The specific movies and tracks we use are constantly updated to reflect current trends.

For example, if we want to check that a system can handle low-end frequencies without distorting we’ll use a scene such as the iconic car chase in The Batman, or the second scene of BladeRunner 2049, which features an incredibly powerful pounding low end that many systems struggle to deal with. We’ll also check how the system deals with specific audio formats, such as Dolby True HD, Atmos and Digital Plus, where applicable.

Though surround sound systems are generally focused on movies, we will see how they handle music and will stream tracks covering a variety of genres during our review. Here again, we make direct comparisons with rivals using the same comparative testing methodology we do for films.

In every review, we make sure at least two people have tested the surround sound system to make sure the findings are never based on a single person’s opinion. This helps us to ensure that we never let unintended bias creep into our reviews.

Surround sound systems FAQ

Testing an in-car sound system is a lot like testing a hi-fi system. It doesn’t take days of listening out on the road (or parked in a McDonald’s car park) for a good set-up to stand out. Sometimes it only takes a couple of tracks for it to get your feet tapping and let you know you’re in the presence of something better-than-average.

Of course, you still need to spend time getting to know exactly what its full capabilities are and to hear if there any chinks in its armour, but a system that makes this kind of impact tends to be heading in the right direction. And that’s the feeling you get when you fire up the Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound system for the BMW iX. In fact, as time goes on (and as you’ll find out by the end of this review) this set-up is rather special.

Price

The way Bowers & Wilkins systems are handled by BMW means they tend to come as part of a bigger package that can be applied to most models in a particular range. This was the case for the B&W system when the iX originally launched. It was part of the Technology Plus Pack, a £5000 option, that also includes extra features including an Interior camera option and its Parking Assistant Plus tech. At the time of writing, however, due to global supply constraints, it's been withdrawn as an option and can only be had on the top-of-the-range iX M60 where it comes as standard.

Design

The Diamond Surround Sound System features no fewer than 30 speakers, driven by a 1615 watt 28-channel amplifier. The configuration includes a 25mm B&W Nautilus Diamond Dome tweeter in each of the front doors and a two-way centre speaker on top of the dashboard. 

Because the iX is an all-electric vehicle, B&W has more options for the location of drive units. In particular it’s been able to optimally position a carbon fibre subwoofer under each of the four main seats. B&W’s even found space to include 3D speakers in the headliner and eight headrest speakers.

In the iX, the only hint there’s a premium sound option fitted to the car are the laser-etched brushed stainless steel covers for the tweeters. They have a triangular hole pattern to echo the design language of iX and their own lighting effect when used in the dark. The midrange speakers in the doors are positioned behind a surprisingly thick ‘acoustically optimised’ fabric, which is in keeping with BMW’s ‘Shy Tech’ design concept.

But the list of speakers used in the iX doesn’t stop there. The B&W system also includes what it calls ‘4D Exciters’ with two built into the backrests of each of the front seats. They’re designed to intensify how bass notes are felt, and their intensity can be adjusted via the main menu system.

Infotainment

The cabin in the iX is a great place to sit. Not only does the front feel cavernous thanks to a lack of transmission tunnel, you’re greeted by one seriously smart-looking infotainment system.

Behind the wheel sits a 12.3in Information Display which is also connected to an even larger 14.9in Control Display, creating one huge curved display aimed at the driver. The sheer expanse of screen estate means it’s not out of reach to passengers, though - they can also get involved in controlling all the various functions without any major fuss.

The touchscreen is hugely impressive and uses a tile system to display the different functions at your disposal. Swiping through it and tapping on the various menus works pretty intuitively. There’s plenty of real estate for your fingers to make all the right presses while the crisp, punchy graphics and icons really stand out in daylight and at night time.

Steering wheel-mounted controls take the form of a small nub on the right side which you push left or right to to skip track and a D-pad on the left which you press up or down to change volume. Both methods do the job, but we wouldn’t say they were particularly pleasant to the touch. Other rivals offer more tactile controls and a greater feeling of refinement.

The centre console looks interesting on the iX. The focal point is the glass iDrive controller, the look and feel of which is a definite opinion-splitter, but there’s no questioning how easy it is to use to navigate through all the various on-screen menus. BMW have used this method for a long time and haven’t tried to fix something that isn’t broken.

The rest of the panel on which the controller is mounted (it’s made from FSC-certified (Forest Stewardship Council) wood which means it comes from a sustainably managed forest) features icons for selecting different functions from Media to Navigation. They’re slightly raised to make them easier to find but we think they’re somewhat a little vague in the way they respond. You do get a scroll wheel for volume here, though, which is a welcome addition.

Set-up

Bowers & Wilkins provides you with a handful of sound profiles to choose from to help find a balance you like. On Stage attempts to put you right in the middle of the music. It feels like you’re the lead singer with different elements branching off from you and it also seems to give low frequencies a slightly heftier kick.

‘Rear’ shifts the focus of the sound to the rear of the car, so it’ll probably be the least used out of the four, unless you want to send the Teletubbies greatest hits to younger family members in the back.

Concert Hall does exactly what it says on the tin. This mode seems to add more in the way of echo and reverb and gives you more of a feeling of being sat in a large hall. One to try, perhaps, if you’re into classical, but not our favourite.

Which brings us on to the Studio setting. It’s the most neutral and authentic of the lot and music sounds more natural, solid and convincing. We’d recommend doing the bulk of your listening in this mode.

Sound

Before we press play on our favourite playlist, to give you a tease of what’s in store, the system sports a demo mode which plays a 5.1 FLAC track inside the car, complete with HD video to give a bit of visual impact. Think of it like the longer version of the Dolby Atmos or THX splash that you get in the cinema before the main event. It’s a clever showcase – sounds fly across and around your listening position, but it’s no substitute for music, so we fire up the system for a listen…

And the first thing that hits you is the soundfield. It’s expansive, far-reaching and filled with detail. We haven’t heard many systems deliver so many layers and serve them up in such a wide window. The iX is an electric SUV and the lack of an internal combustion engine definitely has benefits when it comes to cleaning up a lot of background noise and allowing the music to take centre stage.

You can’t help but be impressed by the level of integration from the system. With 30 speakers on the go, it can’t have been easy, but you’ll struggle to find any chinks in this system’s armour. Highs and mids work in unison but even more impressive is the way bass notes are handled. Some systems struggle to sew low frequencies into the rest of the sonic tapestry, but in the iX everything can be digested in one piece.

We start with Kanye West’s Black Skinhead and see how the system handles its rolling, probing bassline. There’s plenty of drive and power on tap – the system can be cranked high without ever buckling under the sonic load.

The 4D speakers bring vibrations to the proceedings and shake in time to the bass frequencies, enhancing the leading edge of notes and rumbling along to the end. Try them out by all means, but for us, the novelty wore off quite quickly and we’d only use them on one of their very lowest settings. Any higher and we feel they actually distract from the sound instead of adding to the experience.

While we’re talking about the seats, we also prefer dialling down the personalised surround intensity of the system, i.e. the headrest speakers. Set this too high and in our opinion too much information is pumped out of them, which spoils the soundfield.

Play something a bit more revealing such as the acoustic version of Yonaka’s Rockstar and the Bowers system does a great job of communicating the intimacy of the track. That immense soundstage comes to the fore once again, the vocal positioned high up in front of you like a shining beacon. As each piano key is pressed, the system extracts loads of detail; each press is superbly defined and precise and the system does a superb job of revealing the tremors in the singer's voice. There’s a delicacy to the layering of detail that some systems just can’t reproduce.

Switch to End Credits from Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and the B&W system powers the track along. Drums hit hard and provide a solid foundation for the rest of the orchestra to build on. The speed at which the strings are played adds to the drama, rising and falling with impressive speed and agility. A lot of car systems seem to struggle with timing and although not completely perfect, this set-up does a good job of locking onto and tracking rhythms.

Verdict

We’ve tested a few BMW-based Bowers & Wilkins sound systems over the years and we have to say this is arguably the best of the lot. The imaging is excellent, detail levels are impressive across the board and the whole thing is glued together thanks to the top-notch integration of all those speakers. It’s a shame the system is only available on the flagship iX M60 at the moment, because if you were ordering one, then this is the one option we'd have at the top of our list.

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Buying home cinema audio hardware is tricky at the best of times. Jump over to our best surround sound packages guide and that’s clear, as even at the top end of the market there are massive differences in performance, based on our experience testing them.

There are also more technical terms and standards to content with than can easily be counted. Two of the most common you’ll see are Dolby and DTS. But what do these terms mean and how do they impact a film or show’s audio?

This is a particularly complex question to answer at the moment as both Dolby and DTS offer multiple different audio technologies within their respective libraries. As an added layer of complexity, many of these offer completely different experiences and require specific hardware to work.

Here to help clear up the confusion and let you make a more informed decision about the benefits of the two companies’ competing home cinema solutions, we’ve created this handy guide. 

In it, we’ll not only give a detailed explanation of the technical differences, we’ll also detail our experience using and comparing the two in the real world and our dedicated listening rooms.

Starting with the basics…

Both DTS and Dolby Digital are audio compression technologies, allowing moviemakers to record surround sound that can be reproduced in cinemas as well as homes. Both deliver spine-tingling multi-channel sound, so what's the difference? And which is better?

The devil is in the detail. Or, more accurately, the way that the two technologies encode audio. 

DTS is encoded at a higher bit-rate and therefore is considered by some experts to be better quality. Others argue that Dolby Digital's technology is more advanced and produces better sound quality at a lower bit-rate.

Confused? The good news is that both are widely supported, and chances are you won't have to play favourites. 

In their most basic form, both DTS and Dolby Digital support 5.1-channel audio (i.e. a typical home cinema system with five speakers and one subwoofer). And more advanced versions of the formats support 7.1 channels, HD surround sound and overhead speakers, in the form of DTS:X and Dolby Atmos. 

You'll find DTS and Dolby Digital supported by Blu-ray players, home cinema systems, games consoles, computers, set-top boxes and even smartphones. 

Want to learn more? Then keep reading.

The first film to use Dolby Digital was Batman Returns in 1992. Since then, Dolby has released a slew of increasingly advanced codecs, including Dolby Digital Plus, which supports HD surround sound and up to 7.1 speaker channels. 

Want the best? Dolby TrueHD is a lossless format that promises to be identical to the movie studio's master recording. Then there's the object-based audio system you'll no doubt have heard of – Dolby Atmos.

In 1996, DTS began cropping up in consumer hardware. The company might not be as well known as its main rival, but many purists believe that DTS offers better sound quality because it encodes audio at higher bit-rates.

Like Dolby Digital, DTS has since released a plethora of more advanced surround sound formats including DTS-HD High Resolution, which supports up to 7.1 speaker channels. DTS has also brought out a lossless format, DTS-HD Master Audio. There is also DTS:X, which competes with Dolby's Atmos.

Ultimately, you can expect a fine home cinema experience from both, and often your choice of soundtrack will come down to whichever is supported by your source material.

DTS:X vs Dolby Atmos

These top-of-the-line, cutting-edge home cinema audio technologies from Dolby and DTS are a step up from traditional surround sound. They recreate object-based effects, such as a plane flying overhead or bullets zinging around the room, thanks to multiple audio signals aimed at set-ups with a greater number of speakers than the standard 5.1.

Again, both should create an immersive experience, but there are some crucial differences between the two. 

Dolby Atmos uses speakers placed in the ceiling to create a 'bubble' of sound. Not keen to cut holes in your ceiling? There's a range of simpler options, such as Dolby Atmos soundbars with vertical drivers that bounce the sound off the ceiling to similar effect or – better yet – up-firing modules that can sit on top of your traditional speakers.

Many premium TVs now support Dolby Atmos, including all of LG's OLEDs from the past few years and a number of Sony models. 

You can find Dolby Atmos products from an increasing number of hardware manufacturers, as well as across Blu-ray discs and streaming services, including Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and Disney+. TV broadcasters such as Sky and BT are increasingly supporting Atmos, too.

DTS:X is a bit more flexible. It works with standard surround-sound set-ups and doesn't require extra overhead speakers. You can also manually adjust sound objects, meaning you can crank up the volume of voices on a soundtrack making it easier to hear dialogue over loud effects. 

Around 90 per cent of the home AV industry supports DTS:X, with many manufacturers either releasing firmware updates for existing receivers or launching new models. The downside? It is less common and you won't find it on any streaming services – even on Disney+ where Marvel movies are available in ‘IMAX Enhanced’, a presentation format from the same company as DTS (Xperi) and which typically uses DTS audio.

Dolby Atmos Flexconnect and DTS Play-Fi 

Now that we’ve explained the difference between Atmos and DTS:X we have to add one big caveat – the situation is going to get a little more complex in the very near future thanks to the arrival of new Dolby Atmos Flexconnect and DTS Play-Fi Immersive Home Theater technologies. 

You can get a detailed description of the two technologies and what they aim to do in our dedicated Dolby Flexconnect vs DTS Play-Fi guide. But the short version is that they aim to let you create completely wireless surround-sound packages. 

Flexconnect was unveiled last year and aims to offer a full fat, wireless Atmos experience using your TV’s speakers as the central channel and bespoke-made satellites that, according to Dolby, can be placed anywhere you like. This in theory removes the need to carefully position your speakers in prescribed but potentially awkward places in order to get the best results. We haven’t seen any Flexconnect hardware yet, so can’t comment on performance, but Dolby is expected to unveil the first package which is being made in partnership with TCL at the IFA tradeshow in Berlin in September.

Play-Fi is an even weirder, in some ways competing, technology that lets you create surround-sound packages with up to 12 audio channels in system configurations up to 7.2.4. The rub is that it uses custom DTS wireless tech to let you mix and match the speakers used, as any Play-Fi-ready hardware will be able to work together. 

We haven’t reviewed the Play-Fi or any compatible speakers and there is a definite danger the added freedom could let people create some horribly matched set-ups. But DTS has done some limited demos of it working, like the attached video, which make it at the very least look interesting. 

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Is the DTS vs Dolby war effectively over?

Lyngdorf Audio has added a new surround sound processor to its model line-up - the MP-40. 

The MP-40 has 12-channel decoding and 16 balanced outputs that fully support the immersive surround formats Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and Auro-3D. It also supports HDMI 2.0b with eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel) and Dynamic Lip-Sync. 

Video throughput of up to 18Gbps enables the MP-40 to support full 4K 60Hz video streams including Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG. The MP-40 also supports pass-through of the new HDR format for broadcast, HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma).

• How to set up your home cinema speaker system

"Featuring all the sonic qualities and performance of the flagship model, MP-60, the easy-to-install and user-friendly MP-40 processor is the perfect streamlined choice for the demanding home cinema enthusiast," said Anker Haldan, Lyngdorf’s CCO. "It also ships complete with RoomPerfect so it can deliver a perfect musical experience in rooms of all shapes and sizes".

RoomPerfect is Lyngdorf Audio’s in-house calibration system, which claims to be able to ensure optimal frequency response, seamless level alignment, and bass management with any system components in any room. "RoomPerfect is the most advanced calibration system available," says Haldan. "It’s also intuitive and self-guiding".

The MP-40 is built on the same platform as the company's MP-60 with a completely digital signal path, DSP processing, and the possibility for external control over the processor’s operations and capabilities, but the MP-40 has a smaller HDMI board than the MP-60 (3 HDMI inputs and 1 HDMI output) and, unlike the more expensive model, does not have the option of adding multi-channel AES / EBU and AES67 expansion modules.

Available now, the Lyngorf MP-40 retails for £8799 ($9990, AU$16,790)

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• Bluesound surround sound upgrade

Bigger or smaller alloys? Sport Seats or Sports Seats Plus? Carbon fibre or wood interior? Bose or Burmester? If you happen to be on the Porsche car configurator, looking to build a brand new 911 (992), you’ve got a number of big (not to mention enviable) decisions to make.

Choosing between audio systems can be the trickiest task of all – being able to audition all the options before you buy isn’t always possible. Which is where we come in. Porsche was kind enough to lend us two similarly-specced cars, one with Bose, the other with the upgraded Burmester set-up. So, which box deserves your tick?

• Burmester High-End 3D Surround Soundsystem (2019 Mercedes-Benz S-Class) review

System

You get 12 speakers and 570W of power with the Bose set-up, which also includes the company’s Centrepoint 2 and SurroundStage audio processing, plus its AudioPilot Noise Compensation technology. The price is £1002/$1600, which seems reasonable in the grand scheme of things.

Contrast this with the Burmester system’s 13-speaker, 855W set-up. It includes higher-grade components, including special AMT tweeters (Air Motion Transformers) which Burmester claims allows for ultra-precise playback at high sound levels. The difference in speaker numbers is thanks to the use of a two-way centre speaker in the middle of the dashboard. The Bose system uses just a single midrange speaker.

The Burmester system also has an equivalent version of AudioPilot, which is referred to as Sound Conditioner. If you were assuming there would be a decent jump in price moving from Bose to Burmester, you’d be correct. Burmester’s offering costs £3258/$5560.

Set-up

Part of the listening process for any car involves cycling through all the various listening modes and sound presets and the Porsche set-up is no different. There are five in total: Pure, Smooth, Live, Surround and Sound Enhance.

They are configurable in every source mode, so you can pick and choose if you want a different setting when listening to DAB radio compared to when you’re listening over Bluetooth or a wired connection.

The pick of these is Pure. Smooth rolls everything off, restricting the system’s dynamics, Live tweaks the processing in an attempt to sound like you’re at a concert. You appear to get an increase in height and surround effects and a shift in the way music is balanced, but it’s not really to our taste.

Surround Enhance gives the soundfield a broader reach, but the trade-off is that the system loses focus and its character becomes a little less interesting. Sound Enhancer claims to improve compressed music formats, but since we’re listening to CD-quality tracks through Tidal and a wired USB connection there’s no need for it. However, if you are using compressed downloads from Apple Music or Spotify it’s worth experimenting.

There’s one extra feature called Sound Conditioner, which gives everything a boost to compete with interior noise while you’re driving, adjusting volume and tone on the fly.

We tend to avoid settings such as this, as they can skew the balance of a system quite badly. To its credit, though, Porsche’s version of the tech doesn’t sound as messy or artificial as it does on some other systems. 

The car also generates a lot of road and engine noise, so when it’s turned off you find yourself manually adjusting the volume quite regularly. You’re thankful for the extra help.

• Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System (BMW 5-Series) review

Infotainment

The 992 Carrera gets the latest version of Porsche’s PCM (Porche Communication Management) infotainment set-up. At its heart lies a large 10.9in touchscreen display. It’s similar to, but a little smaller than the display found in the Bentley Continental GT. 

It’s a punchy and bright screen that’s easy to read, although the actual infotainment system isn’t the most intuitive. You can assign buttons on the steering wheel to carry out various commands, but navigating your way around the menus is more of a start/stop affair.

The Mercedes system which includes steering-wheel-mounted touch controls is slicker, more intuitive and tends to be less distracting. It’s a similar case with BMW’s iDrive system.

There’s a tone with every tap of the touchscreen, but it doesn’t respond with the haptic feedback of the latest Audi systems, for example. It all feels a little vague when you’re trying to navigate. There is a rotary dial on the right side of the centre console, but this is fiddlier than we’d like.

The Porsche system supports Apple CarPlay but not Android Auto, which is a shame. Apple’s in-car operating system is a good fit for the Porsche’s screen, with plenty of room for app icons and album artwork to be displayed.

Sound: Bose vs Burmester

We kick things off with the Bose system and are pleasantly surprised. The level of integration between the speakers is excellent, with the system masking its subwoofer, yet still managing to deliver solid and weighty bass.

It’s a balanced sound too. There’s no scratchy or brittle treble to contend with and while there’s plentiful bass, it doesn’t ever really feel too tubby or out of control.

There’s a good sense of rhythm to Kings Of Leon’s Comeback Story. The drumbeat and bass guitar rumble along at a good pace and the vocal is perfectly clear. It’s a solid-sounding system.

But switch over to the Burmester set-up and the overall quality of sound goes up a few notches. Those ribbon tweeters make their presence felt and there’s a newfound crispness to highs. Edges of notes are more sharply drawn, there’s more space around the different elements of a track and there’s greater dynamic thrust.

It might look like a small change on paper, but adding the extra speaker at the front of the cabin also helps shore up the soundstage. It sounds more balanced and detailed. It feels as though you’re getting more information and a more convincing soundstage. Once again, the integration between all the speakers is excellent, with bass, mids and highs working together as a seamless whole.

Play Teenage Angst by Placebo, and the high-hat sets the pace. It handles this zippy percussion with a great sense of speed and agility, similar to how the car handles on a twisty B-road. Detail levels are superb, even when faced with a cabin that isn’t the quietest when the car pushes on. There’s a crispness to each drum thwack and a difference in texture and dynamics, but there are no hard or rough edges. The system maintains a keen tempo, keeping in top gear until the track coasts to its conclusion.

Switch to a track which demands greater care and consideration, and the Burmester extends its lead, peeling away extra layers of detail compared to the Bose. We play Billie Eilish’s Ocean Eyes and her vocal is beautifully presented. It’s positioned precisely in your soundstage and each subtle dynamic shift can be heard. The texture of her voice, the piano and the moody melancholic bassline offer an extra dose of realism.

Verdict

Given its price premium, you’d hope that the Burmester system would take the audio to the next level and it doesn’t disappoint.

Bose’s offering is a decent all-rounder for the money, but it can’t match the Burmester for out and out quality. With more detail, a more convincing soundstage, and better dynamics, the Burmester makes for a more interesting listen. We know which options box would get our tick.

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Noise is everywhere. Picture noise can distract you from your favourite TV show, electrical noise can upset the sound of your hi-fi and noisy neighbours can disturb a decent night’s sleep.

When it comes to in-car audio, engine noise can hamper your experience. From a V12 symphony to a gruff diesel grumble, the various frequencies emitted from your engine all have an adverse impact on the audio from your sound system.

The effects can be mitigated through the sound-tuning process, and systems can be put in place to compensate. But what happens when the engine is taken out of the equation? We got behind the wheel of the all-electric Jaguar I-Pace to find out.

• Meridian Signature Sound System (Range Rover Velar)

Build and design

The Meridian Surround System comes with the top-spec Jaguar I-Pace HSE tested here. The S and SE versions of the car come with the standard Meridian Sound System, although this surround set-up is available as a £600 optional extra.

It sees a hike in power from 380W to 825W, while speaker count rises from 11 to 15 – it includes a pair of rear surrounds and a coaxial midrange/tweeter centre speaker. 

You also get Meridian’s Trifield audio tech which takes a stereo signal and blends it into the centre and surround channels in an attempt to create a more immersive and consistent sound for all occupants.

The speakers in the I-Pace system use the same ‘Coscone’ drivers found in other Meridian systems across the Jaguar Land Rover line. The I-Pace’s system also features a ‘Fresh Air’ subwoofer. This allows for greater efficiency and an increase in sound pressure, which means better reproduction of bass frequencies below 60Hz.

The advent of electric cars doesn’t just mean new challenges for automotive engineers, but audio engineers too. In the case of the I-Pace, it’s the type of noise heard in the cabin. A petrol engine tends to emit low frequency noise, but the different characteristics of electric engines affects how the speaker system is tuned and how the mic-based in-car noise compensation adapts the sound. 

Due to the car’s rapid acceleration, the I-Pace’s system has been designed to react quicker to drive inputs. During testing, we get the impression that the compensation system used is less intrusive than in Meridian systems we’ve heard in other Jaguar vehicles. Meridian claims the audio system has a negligible effect on the car’s battery life and  so no sacrifices were made on the quality/spec of amplifier used.

• B&O Play Sound System (Ford Fiesta) review

Infotainment

The I-Pace HSE is equipped with Jaguar’s Touch Pro Duo infotainment system with a 10in touchscreen acting as the primary display with an additional 5in touchscreen positioned below.

It is a slightly tweaked version of the dual screen set-up first introduced on the Range Rover Velar. You can split functions between the two displays, so you can have sat-nav running on the big screen while you’re controlling audio playback over bluetooth through the smaller one.

The displays are bright and easy to read thanks to the punchy, sharply drawn menus and icons. They look attractive, but the class-leaders still have the edge when it comes to ease of use. Prodding and poking the system still feels a little vague and there’s a whiff of sluggishness when responding to taps and swipes.

Sometimes even a simple task like skipping back to the start of the track can trip the system up. Tap the screen to skip back a track, and although the previous song starts playing, occasionally the counter for the current track remains. There can also be a delay before the relevant album artwork appears on the screen.

Controlling the system from the buttons on the I-Pace’s steering wheel works reasonably well. The controls are positioned at three and nine o’clock and work like D-pads on a game controller – the left-hand pad is split into quarters so you can navigate audio controls, phone and cruise control. In the middle there’s a scroll wheel for adjusting volume.

• Burmester High-End 3D Surround Soundsystem (2019 Mercedes-Benz S-Class) review

Smartphone owners can access Apple CarPlay or Android Auto through the touchscreen. Jaguar has its own equivalent, InControl Apps, but you get more joy using Apple’s or Google’s solution. Bluetooth connectivity, DAB/FM radio and a couple of USB inputs are also provided.

Normally, we can’t resist delving into the menus to fine-tune the audio, but although bass, treble and subwoofer levels can all be adjusted on a sliding scale, we find the Meridian’s default settings deliver the best overall sound. We don’t feel the need to adjust the fader, either. Sliding the cursor sends more information to the front of the cabin, but we find it affects the balance too much, so leave it focused on the middle.

You’re also presented with three audio processing modes to choose from. Dts Neo: 6 which sounds a bit messy and smeared, Dolby Pro Logic IIX, which gives highs and lows more of an artificial boost and the Meridian mode, which sounds the most transparent of the three. There’s a greater sense of stability to the soundstage, too.

Purists can switch to the car’s Stereo mode, which we actually find the most solid and dynamic-sounding. The trade-off is you don’t feel as immersed and the stereo imaging isn’t quite as generous.

• Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System (BMW 5-Series) review

Sound

With no engine to trample over your music, it feels as though you are able to hear more detail within a track. Add to this the system’s refined and hugely listenable character and you’ve got a sound that you can sit back and enjoy, whether you’re driving around town or hitting the afterburners on the motorway.

Play Lisztomania by Phoenix and the track is superbly judged. Highs and lows are treated equally, with weighty bass notes balanced with crisp, precisely drawn highs. The track’s vocal is suitably expressive, while the bubbly drum beat and punchy kick-drum propels the track along sounds lively.

More intimate recordings get a new lease of life, with more subtle details allowed a chance to shine. Playing the acoustic version of Twin Wild’s Fears, the guitar hangs in the middle of the soundstage, each string pluck beautifully weighted. 

The Meridian does a great job with the echoey, atmospheric intro, capturing the subtle drops in dynamics and the quieter moments of the song well. In absolute terms, we would like a bit more drive, but delivery is effortless and it’s a highly polished performance for the money.

Verdict

It’s great that the Meridian Surround System comes as part of the I-Pace’s HSE package, but we’d willingly pay the £600 option to upgrade.

The lack of engine noise helps, but it also exposes the qualities of a sound system. This makes the I-Pace’s sound all the more impressive – for the money, it’s easily the pick of Meridian’s current in-car systems.

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But it was only a matter of time before the system trickled down to another BMW range with a bigger pool of potential customers. So, this flagship audio set-up is now available for the 5-Series, one of the most popular saloons on the planet.

Features

Like the original 7-series system, this set-up features 16 speakers powered by a 10-channel, 1400W, Class D amplifier. Both front left and front right speaker configurations boast Bowers & Wilkins’ trademark Diamond tweeters – ultra thin, ultra rigid diamond domes usually reserved for B&W’s flagship stereo speakers.

Behind each one, you’ll find a diffuser designed in a spiral shape – a design idea inspired by Bowers & Wilkins’ high-end Nautilus speaker. Its job is to absorb and dissipate any sound from the rear of each tweeter.

Unlike some of B&W’s in-car speaker systems designed for Volvo and McLaren, the 7-Series system doesn’t use the company’s tweeter-on-top technology – a distinctive design with a tweeter mounted on top of the centre of the dashboard, firing straight into the cabin.

The 5-Series system makes do with a more traditional design. Here, the centre channel (an aluminium tweeter and Kevlar midrange driver combination) fires straight up from the centre of the dashboard.

MORE: Burmester Surround Sound System (Mercedes-Benz C-Class) review

Kevlar isn’t just good at stopping bullets. The material has been a trademark ingredient of B&W loudspeakers for decades, and there are seven Kevlar midrange drivers dotted around the 5-Series cabin.

You can spot the midrange drivers and tweeters a mile off – they’re placed behind beautifully etched stainless steel grilles and their presence highlighted by some subtle illumination in the front and rear doors. Bass is delivered by two 22cm subwoofers hidden beneath the driver and passenger seats.

It’s worth noting that the speaker layouts for the saloon and Touring versions of the 5-Series differ slightly. In the saloon, the rear surround speakers are positioned on the parcel shelf, while the Touring model sees them bumped into the rear roof lining.

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Infotainment

At the heart of every BMW lies iDrive, the company’s much-lauded infotainment system. The 5-Series uses iDrive 6, the latest version of the set-up, which includes a 10.2in display which runs in landscape along the top of the dashboard. It’s a touchscreen so you can navigate using a finger, but when driving, the circular controller and shortcut buttons in the centre console are likely to get the most use.

Our test car is fitted with BMW’s Premium Package (£1820), which includes a special ceramic finish on the main controls for a more luxurious feel. Not vital, but it does feel much more tactile than the standard plastics. The display is smooth to operate – not quite up to Apple iPad standards, but it’s much more responsive and boasts less lag than than some rival set-ups.

MORE: B&O Play Sound System (Ford Fiesta) review

The main display is made up from six tiles (you can see three at any one time) which you can scroll between. You can customise and reorder them by pressing, holding and dragging, just like shifting apps around an iPhone screen.

Opt for BMW’s Technology Package (£1405) and you’re treated to gesture control. Position your finger in range of the sensor and twirl it clockwise or anti-clockwise to move the volume up and down accordingly. From the outside it may look strange, but once you’re locked into the sensor’s sweet spot, it works surprisingly well. However, we stick to the old fashioned and most convenient method, the controls on the steering-wheel.

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Also on the menu of features is DAB/FM/AM, a 20GB hard disk, Bluetooth, and Spotify built-in. You can access the Spotify app and any downloads from the service on your smartphone.

BMW also offers an Online Entertainment package with unlimited access to Deezer or Napster for £160 per year. This includes the ability to stream directly from the cloud or download it to the car’s hard drive. You can also use your chosen streaming service on up to three additional devices.

One of the neatest features offered by the BMW 5-Series is Apple CarPlay. Instead of plugging your iPhone into a USB socket to connect, the 5-Series offers the wonder of wireless. Your iPhone connects and communicates with Carplay via Bluetooth – when you leave and enter the car it connects and reconnects automatically and in practice it works pretty consistently.

VIDEO: B&W Premium Sound system (Volvo XC90) hands-on review

Set-up

There are a number of different sound modes to help tailor the system to your tastes. These include Studio, On Stage, Concert and Lounge. We’re big fans of the default Studio setting, which delivers the best balance of focus and immersion. Here you’re presented with the most solid and accurate soundstage, with instruments and vocals hanging in their own space.

‘Lounge’ is essentially a Studio setting optimised for rear passengers. There’s a definite shift of focus from the front of the BMW to the rear when it’s activated. Great if your 5-Series doubles as an Uber.

‘On stage’ is the setting we’d opt for if you want more immersion. Here there’s a greater sense of the music washing over you. Instruments and vocals are less front and centre – everything sounds less regimented and more expansive. It’s a more relaxing listen than the Studio setting.

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‘Concert’ appears to lift the soundfield in an attempt to give the impression you’re in a larger venue than a 5-Series cabin. However, it sounds a little over-processed for our liking.

Sound quality

Settling for the Studio mode, we’re impressed by the openness and clarity of the sound. Highs are transparent and confidently defined. There’s plenty of bite to notes but they never draw blood. It’s an enthusiastic sound, but not overly aggressive. Vocals are communicated in an engaging and expressive manner, only becoming shouty when the music demands.

Play Linkin Park’s Numb and the system captures every ounce of power and emotion in the late Chester Bennington’s vocal. Switch to Something by The Beatles, and the anger dissipates, the system relaxes and delivers the slower more melodic musings of George Harrison with a great deal of skill.

We manage to compare the B&W set-up to the optional Harman Kardon speaker system for the 5-Series and it’s no contest. The B&W option is pricier (£3750 versus £895) but the difference is night and day. The Harman system is seriously lacking when it comes to detail and dynamics and the treble and midrange performance isn’t in the same league.

MORE: B&W Diamond Surround Sound System (BMW 7 Series) hands-on review

B&W’s offering isn’t completely faultless, though. When it comes to capturing the detail and definition in bass notes we expect a bit more. Those subwoofers seem to struggle keeping a leash on the deep, probing bassline of Massive Attack’s Angel that makes it one of our go-to test tracks.

This means the delivery of certain notes is more lumpy custard than smooth pouring cream. That tubby bass also has a knock-on effect on the system’s timing – it makes alt-J’s Breezeblocks sound out of sorts, and the complex rhythms don’t gel as seamlessly as they should.

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Verdict

B&W’s Diamond Surround Sound System has loads of ability and displays more than enough sonic skills to convince us to tick the options box. But, it still needs to polish out those imperfections in the bass to pick up that elusive fifth star.

Bluesound has released a new 2.14 version of its BluOS Controller app, which lets you wirelessly connect a Pulse Soundbar and Sub to a pair of Pulse Flex speakers to act as dedicated rear surround channels. In that confirguration, the Pulse 4.1 system supports Dolby Digital soundtracks.

The new app also brings a smattering of other improvements. Deezer HiFi (the streaming service’s CD-quality offering) is now accessible across all BluOS-enabled products. And an optimised music engine within the app also allows for a “more responsive experience and easier browsing” with quicker access to local music, playlists and music-streaming services.

MORE: Bluesound Generation 2 review

App-switching between the BluOS Controller and NAD Remote apps is now supported, as is an auto-sense feature for Bluesound products with an optical input.

To enjoy the new features brought by the new BluOS software, users need to upgrade their BluOS-enabled products and download the new app.

Cyber Monday is well underway, and you can keep track of all the best deals on our Best Cyber Monday deals (and our very, very best deals) pages.

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Since the experimental emergence of multi-channel surround sound in 1952’s This is Cinerama (ironically a documentary made to showcase a new widescreen projection format), the technology has arguably enriched movie watching more than anything else – including popcorn.

Superman no longer has to sound like he’s flying in tiny circles around the front of a room, and soundfields can be so enveloping you instinctively duck for cover when bullets fly over your head.

Alas, a 2.1-channel home cinema set-up (simply a stereo presentation with the addition of a subwoofer) today may seem antiquated in the face of 5.1, 7.1 channel and Dolby Atmos configurations.

But we are far from resigning the format to the Museum of Idle Technology, for it’s still worthwhile to those without the space or even desire for surround sound.

If that sounds like you, and the idea of a combined hi-fi and home cinema set-up – with speakers either side of a telly, say – seems particularly attractive, let us introduce you to the Arcam Solo Movie 2.1: an amplified all-in-one system that features Blu-ray and CD playback, myriad connections and hi-res audio network streaming.

MORE: Arcam Solo Movie 2.1 original review

Features

It’s no surprise there aren’t many of the Arcam’s kind around.

But we reckon that somewhat plays into its hands. If its name isn’t enough of a giveaway, the Solo Movie 2.1 caters more for AV duties than its counterpart in the Solo range, the Solo Music.

It shares its 160W amplification, HDMI inputs and hi-res audio playback, but adds to the disc drive’s support of CD/SACD with Blu-ray and DVD, and is able to decode popular Dolby True HD and DTS Master HD film formats too.

It only asks a seemingly reasonable £200 more for the extra functionality. (Arcam’s recent price slash means that the Movie 2.1 is down from £1800 and the Solo Music, £1500 when we reviewed it in the summer, is now £1300.)

The well-equipped Solo Movie 2.1 makes the original 2008 iteration seem only partly furnished, not only by adding Blu-ray support, but by also including more connections than the standard household could probably make use of at one time.

MORE: Arcam Solo Music 2016 review

Joining one HDMI output are four HDMI inputs, single coaxial and optical inputs that support up to 24-bit/192kHz and 24-bit/96kHz respectively, and USB (also compatible with 192kHz files), phono and 3.5mm connections.

An ethernet socket caters for wired network streaming, although a supplied antenna puts wireless connectivity on the menu too. Either way, the Arcam will stream FLAC, WAV and AIFF files up to 24-bit/192KHz, AACs up to 24-bit/96KHz and the usual WMA and MP3 formats.

There’s another antenna for aptX Bluetooth, and a FM/DAB/DAB+ tuner too. How you flick between the inputs – through the on-unit controls, remote or mobile app – is up to you. All are pleasingly intuitive and responsive, just note that the latter is sadly only available for Apple devices.

It doesn’t play up to the 4K furor, mind you; 4K Blu-ray discs aren’t welcome, and as the HDMI inputs are version 1.4 (and not 2.0, which can carry a 4K signal) there’s no option to add an Ultra HD Blu-ray playback into the system either.

MORE: 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray: all the 4K discs on sale and coming soon

Picture

It’s a good job that the Solo Movie 2.1 is such an impressive performer with Full HD material, then.

Spielberg’s The BFG looks appealingly bright and clean, the live-action sequences crisp and detailed enough to appreciate the film’s excellent production.

The picture doesn’t jump when the giant goes over hills, there’s texture to patchwork quilts and mountainous landscapes, and with bat-like talents the Arcam proves perceptive in night scenes and when we enter the giant’s dark lair.

Clarity and sharpness levels are easily on par with those of a decent standalone player – not just with Blu-ray playback but during the upscaling of DVDs too.

MORE: The BFG review

Sound

Not forgetting the Arcam’s sonic responsibilities, we turn our attention to the film’s John Williams’ score and our positive impression is instantly confirmed.

The orchestra’s string section climaxes with apparent ease, with power or authority in copious supply.

That’s partly down to the Solo Movie 2.1 being blessed with Class G amplification, which essentially switches between multiple power supplies to deliver a lot of output (needed for a big, powerful sound) without wasting electricity as heat, or causing distortion.

MORE: How to set up your TV and get the best picture

Like the giant, it’s big and friendly, not throwing its weight around bullishly but rather conducting itself with poise and precision.

There’s muscle behind falling metal bins, creaking beds and axes being forcefully driven down onto tables, but it’s pleasingly subtle with it.

Physically, the Arcam’s presentation is entirely front-heavy and thus no stand-in for a surround-sound experience, it has the size and expanse to spread the orchestration to the corners of a room and make it sound like the giant’s stomps are landing right in front of you.

They are full of solidity and punch, traits that extend up the frequency range.

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You wouldn’t need particularly expressive kit to instantly recognise the giant’s West Country burr, but the shrewd Arcam ensures it is as well projected as it ought to be.

Further up the spectrum, chiming town bells have more jingle than a Frank Sinatra Christmas album.

Despite its name advocating a preference of one (movie) over the other (music), the system, like a fair parent, really isn’t discriminatory, so can be trusted as much with a collection of CDs as Blu-rays.

We choose Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ Blood Sugar Sex Magik album and the Solo Movie 2.1’s even balance and naturally compelling combination of power, size and insight comes to the fore in the eponymous track.

There’s thrust to the opening drumbeat, impetus behind John Frusciante’s electric riffs, and clarity to Anthony Keidis’ penetrating vocals.

MORE: 10 of the best film scenes to test surround sound

Verdict

The application of Arcam’s ‘bringing music and movies to life’ maxim may be intended across the brand’s expansive portfolio of AV and hi-fi kit, but it also singularly pertains to the Solo Movie 2.1.

Of course that talent doesn’t change the fact that this is a particular product for a particular crowd – in the Arcam’s case, someone who isn’t interested in surround sound or 4K, and perhaps has access to smart apps elsewhere.

Those who want the former can always consider Arcam's Solo Movie 5.1, which – you guessed it – can cater for surround speakers. Or if AV duties are already covered, why not save a few bucks and go for the Award-winning Solo Music?

But those that do meet the criterion and are looking for a 2.1 channel set-up should strongly consider putting this almost-does-it-all box at the heart of it.

See all our Arcam reviews

Burmester Surround Sound System for Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2016)

£2995 (upgrade cost)

4 stars

Would you rather have enough money to buy a house, a sports car, or a speed boat? A difficult dilemma, we know. For the price of a Burmester separates system you could probably afford one of the above, if not all three.

When you consider the company’s flagship standalone CD player, the Burmester 069, costs a wallet-withering £35,840, by the time you’ve added a matching pre/power amp and a suitable pair of speakers, you won't get much change from £130,000. And that’s before you add cables!

Alternatively, you can get a taste of Burmester for a fraction of the price if you happen to be contemplating a shiny new Mercedes-Benz. A Burmester audio upgrade is available as an optional extra for various ranges and models, including S-Class, C-Class and the super-sporty AMG GT.

The Burmester Surround Sound System in the Mercedes C-Class costs £2995 and comes as part of a Premium Plus Package, which also includes other tech goodies including an 8.4in high-res colour display, ambient lighting, Keyless-Go, voice control and that must-have car accessory, a panoramic glass sunroof.

That’s quite a lot of kit for your £2995 which makes the Burmester system, on paper at least, look pretty decent value.

MORE: Burmester develops 3D sound system for new Porsche Panamera

Speakers

The C-Class system gets 13 speakers, a nine-channel amplifier and 590 watts (7x50W, 2x120W) of power as standard.

Midrange/tweeter combinations can be found in each of the four doors (paper domes for midrange drivers and fibre domes for the tweeters), and there’s a centre speaker in the middle of the top of the dashboard. The drivers are positioned behind attractive speaker grilles etched with the Burmester logo.

Two full-range parcel shelf speakers and two woofers complete the speaker ensemble.

The lowest frequencies are aided by Mercedes’ ‘frontbass’ technology, where the woofers are built into the front of the car body instead of the doors. The tech uses the driver and passenger footwells as acoustic horns to boost sound pressure.

MORE: What is Apple CarPlay? How it works, the apps, cars, features

Controls

The Premium Plus Package automatically upgrades you to Mercedes' Comand Online System, which combines sat-nav, infotainment and online connectivity.

All the action happens through the high-resolution display which protrudes (a little awkwardly) from the middle of the dashboard.

A touchpad and scroll-wheel pairing on the centre console is your main point contact with the system. It looks like something you could use to parallel park the USS Enterprise and although it looks relatively interesting compared to some rival systems, it feels over-engineered and overly fussy in use.

Both the wheel and touchpad carry out similar functions and you can’t help but feel all the different processes could be simplified and streamlined. You’ll often find yourself swiping when you should be rotating or vice versa.

The pad uses a touch-sensitive surface combined with buttons for navigating the audio and telephone menus and accessing any favourite channels stored on the system.

It responds to both single and two-finger gestures. You can swipe up to show menus, and alter volume by spinning two fingers clockwise or anti-clockwise.

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Settings

Bring up the equaliser on the car’s display and it’s dressed like the front of a Burmester amp, complete with Burmester logo and a brushed aluminium skin. It’s sweet, if a little cheesy. From here you can adjust the treble, “midtones” and bass.

Besides these general tone controls, the system can also create virtual surround sound from any source.

Turn it on and you notice a subtle lift in the soundstage from the top of the dashboard to higher up the windscreen, just past ear height.

The soundfield gains greater depth and spaciousness in which instruments and vocals sit. The trade-off is a slight loss of focus and solidity, but we'd happily listen to either, with some tracks actually suiting the extra surround processing.

You can also alter the balance of sound in the car depending on the number of people present. The system can be set to spread sound evenly through the car, or can be focused purely on the front or rear.

MORE: Audi TT virtual cockpit and B&O sound system hands-on review

MORE: B&W Diamond Surround Sound System (BMW 7 Series 2016) hands-on review

Sound quality

The Burmester system sounds pretty balanced from the off. The majority of in-car systems we’ve listened to tend to require dialling down of the bass, but with this set-up you might actually feel a tweak in the opposite direction is needed.

Spin Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ Downtown and the Burmeseter set-up captures the upbeat, feelgood funkiness of the track. From the moment the piano springs into life and the bassline drops, the Burmester system is on the front foot.

The Mercedes system delivers an airy, spacious soundfield, where vocals are heard crystal clear.

There’s a good level of detail throughout - it’s expressive and not afraid to live on the edge. Some rival systems we’ve heard from Meridian and B&W tend to err on the side of caution, but there’s a cut and thrust and sense of dynamism with this arrangement that keeps your attention.

Compared to the traditional Burmester sound, the in-car system is a little smoother at the top end, but there’s still more than enough sparkle and bite to keep you interested.

Our only disappointment is that bass notes tend to sound a little tubby and they’re a slightly different character to the highs and mids. Lows are less agile and more ponderous so they have a habit of tripping up the rhythm of the music.

VIDEO: B&W Premium Sound system (Volvo XC90) hands-on review

Verdict

In the grand scheme of in-car audio options, ticking the Burmester box makes a lot of sense. It might not represent quite the same level of value as Dynaudio's Excite package for the Volkswagen Golf, but it does come with a host of additional features for the car. It’s a premium that we'd certainly consider paying.

MORE: Dynaudio Excite Sound System review (VW Golf Mk7)

The Sony HT-RT5 is not your typical soundbar. It’s a hybrid: half soundbar, half surround package.

If you want the convenience of a soundbar, but still want proper surround sound with the help of rear speakers, this ‘home theatre system’ is for you. All you need is space to put the kit, and a spare £600.

MORE: Awards 2015 - Soundbars and soundbases

Build and design

Sony calls the HT-RT5 a 5.1 system, consisting three drivers (a tweeter and two woofers) housed inside the bar, two rear speakers and a sub. The main bar is long and slim, with a sloped front so it doesn’t obstruct the screen.

All components are built to a high standard.

But the HT-RT5 isn’t as neat a solution as a straightforward soundbar. You still need to find space for the two compact rear speakers, which connect wirelessly to the main bar and need to be plugged into the mains (unlike those of a Philips Fidelio B5). The same goes for the rather large subwoofer.

Sony helpfully provides an auto-calibration set-up and mic with the system, so you can get the best possible surround sound from the HT-RT5 – just like you would with a traditional speaker package.

Make sure the rear speakers are placed equidistant from the bar, and the calibration will sort out the rest. It’s quick and accurate, and you can tweak the speaker settings manually in the menu.

Sound

Once calibrated, play the Mad Max: Fury Road Blu-ray and let the HT-RT5 roar into life. The soundbar delivers detail with clarity and speed, with each utterance and guttural sound effect crisply conveyed. It’s fast, attacking and refined. But that’s where the good news stops.

There’s little weight or punch to the Sony’s performance. It’s too thin, with the midrange needing more solidity to convince. With music, that disconnection between the treble and bass is more pronounced, despite the clarity and subtle detail.

The top end is thin and hardens up easily, leaving you with little natural warmth or enjoyment.

More worryingly, there’s little sense of any cohesion between the channels because of poor integration between the speakers. The HT-RT5 doesn’t spread sound wide enough, leaving a huge gap between soundbar and the rear speakers.

There’s decent control over the dynamics, with quieter moments making their mark against the thunderous action. But we want more authority to underpin that insightful detail.

MORE: Best soundbars 2016

Connectivity and features

Sony has taken pains to ensure the HT-RT5 has everything you need for a cinematic experience. It offers a generous three HDMI inputs and one output, which all support 4K passthrough and DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD soundtracks. A single optical output is also available.

The HT-RT5 uses Sony’s own LDAC codec for higher quality streaming over Bluetooth (instead of the more popular aptX), while the soundbar also features NFC, wi-fi and ethernet, Spotify Connect and support for Google Cast.

It can also be part of a multi-room system, using the SongPal app to link other Sony products together.

Sony deserves credit for its remote control. The slim wand is instinctive to use, with buttons that are responsive and logically placed.

Verdict

But those extensive features don’t make up for that disappointing performance. Despite Sony’s intentions, the HT-RT5’s thin, hard sound isn’t exciting or engaging, and those rear speakers fail to deliver on the promise of true surround sound.

They also make the HT-RT5 a clunky system; you might as well opt for a full 5.1 speaker package if you have enough space for this system’s components.

There are alternatives, such as the Philips Fidelio B5, that do the job better. It’s £50 cheaper, too. Sony’s HT-RT5 may have refinement and clarity, but the lack of engagement and an insubstantial sound means that it can’t justify that premium price tag.

See all our Sony reviews

See all our soundbar reviews

There's plenty of technology to get excited about in the new BMW 7 series, not least the 16-speaker, B&W Diamond Surround Sound System (£4675).

Initially launched at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, this is the first time a Bowers & Wilkins in-car sound system has appeared in a BMW - and this system is exclusive to the new 7 Series.

And, although the British speaker manufacturer already has systems in certain Volvo, Maserati and McLaren models, this is the first of the company's in-car audio systems to feature diamond dome tweeters. It's a technology that only tends to feature in the B&W's high-end speaker ranges, such as the new 800 Diamond Series.

MORE: B&W reveals new 800 Series Diamond speakers

But the in-car audio goodness doesn't stop there. You can stream your tunes using Spotify, while there's deeper Napster and Deezer integration that allows you to download tracks to the car's system.

To find out more and see how the set-up fared, including the weirdly-intuitive gesture controls, take a look at our hands-on video above.

MORE: Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System and Virtual Cockpit (Audi TT 2015) hands-on

The B&O system comprises 13 active speakers, each with its own dedicated amplifier, and a subwoofer placed in the front wheel liner. B&O says the system's total output power is rated at 550 watts.

It's not the first time a B&O system has featured in the R8, and this latest B&O in-car system follows the launch of the 16-channel B&O system in the new BMW 6 Series last month and the Audi Q7 B&O 3D Advanced Sound System back in January.

The R8 system sports Class D amplification and use CosCone driver technology borrowed from the BeoLab 12 speakers. The Audi's CosCone drivers, a design patented by Denon and Marantz, aims to deliver the same performance as conventional drivers, despite being only half the height.

Various audio technologies, from Digital Signal Processing (DSP), to help feed the sound to all the speakers, and Vehicle Noise Compensation, to counter the noise of the engine, are also on board.

The B&O system also benefits from a surround sound algorithm, developed by the Fraunhofer Institute of Integrated Circuits (IIS), no less. Users will be able to use the MOST 150 infotainment interface to tweak the balance of the system, from "full surround sound" to focusing the sound towards the front of the car.

Bang and Olufsen says the overall result is a "distinctively clear well balanced sound reproduction," with music sounding "as the artist intended, never compromised".

Jens Peter Zinck, senior vice president and head of automotive at Bang & Olufsen, said of the new system: “Working with Audi, Bang & Olufsen has proven that an outstanding surround sound experience can be created in limited cockpit environments. It is an exciting innovation and this show is the perfect place to unveil our efforts to the world”.

MORE: Read about the 2015 Audi R8 and the Geneva Motor Show on Autocar

Earlier this year we saw the new Audi Q7 with B&O 3D sound system and B&O has previously teamed-up with Aston Martin and now the company has revealed "the most successful model to come from BMW and Bang & Olufsen's long partnership".

The numbers certainly sound impressive, with 16 speakers (seven tweeters, seven midrange drivers and two subwoofers), 1200 watts of power (including 500w for the two subs) and 5.1 surround sound with the necessary DSP for all those speakers.

B&O says the 'high-end surround sound system' will adjust its performance to allow for external and internal noise, using an on-board microphone as part of its Vehicle Noise Compensation (VNC) technology.

The drivers themselves claim 180-degree dispersion (B&O's patented Acoustic Lens Technology) and the aluminium grilles incorporate its Floating Frame design and integrated LED lighting in an effort to enhance the internal aesthetic.

There are a couple of sound modes, with Studio Mode aiming to deliver music as the artist intended, or the option to disregard your favourite artist's feelings and try Expanded Mode, which unsurprisingly aims to deliver a wider, car-filling sound.

MORE: Audi Q7 launches with B&O 3D Advanced Sound System

See all our B&O news and reviews

Fancy a decent home cinema system in your living room, but wish someone would pick all the components you need, put them all in one box and bill you only £500 for the lot?

Let Sony be your personal shopper: the Sony BDV-N5200W is a fantastic all-in-one package that holds all your cinema needs.

Made up of a Blu-ray player, five compact speakers, a wireless subwoofer, a 5.1ch amplifier and all the latest smart features you can think of – this neat, compact system will bring the cinema experience that bit closer into your home. Just add a TV.

MORE: Awards 2014 - Best systems

Sound

Play the Blu-ray of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and the Sony BDV-N5200W system zings between the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack with a remarkable amount of precision and authority.

The sound is crystal clear and oozes with subtle detail. There’s plenty of excitement as special effects – Spidey’s web-slinging across skyscrapers, Electro’s crackling electricity, multiple explosions – are steered across the five speakers with lively, fast timing.

It’s a great listen. We particularly like how Electro’s Gollum-like whispers sound crisp and menacing coming from the rear speakers – place them just behind your sofa and there’s a genuine sense of atmosphere.

That wireless subwoofer (which you can easily tuck into a corner and forget about) is the unsung hero of this system. It sets the weighty, rumbling foundation for Sony’s sound, lending depth, punch and authority to any film.

Dynamics are free to soar in an open and wide soundfield, and it’s easy to place objects, dialogue and effects accurately.

Switch to a music Blu-ray, and the Sony has a respectable sense of rhythm and punch, but could be a touch subtler. Justin Timberlake’s live performance is full of funky beats and layered harmonics, while Beyonce’s powerful vocals sound fluid and dynamic.

Streamed music (over Bluetooth or DLNA) may not have the solid cohesion and musicality that you’d get from a dedicated hi-fi system, but it’s a convenient way to free your music collection from a smart device.

It’s a testament to Sony’s sonic skill that whatever you’re watching – films, TV shows, quiz shows – sounds interesting even at low volumes. This is particularly evident with dialogue.

Voices sound crisp and expressive through this Sony system. There’s a hint of hardness that creeps in at the top end, but only if you push the volume up to neighbour-bothering volumes.

Picture

We know how good Sony Blu-ray players can be, and the one provided with the BDV-N5200W package does its lineage proud by delivering a beautifully punchy and clean picture.

Motion is smooth and stable. Detail definition is superb, with strands of hair and threads distinguishable in The Book Thief’s many-shades-of-sepia colour palette.

Even when watching Pointless or Doctor Who on telly, colours are rich and vibrant while maintaining a natural tone. The picture shines clear and bright, while black scenes are inky dark without swallowing up too much detail.

Skin tones are convincingly shaded, too. There’s an expected drop in resolution when watching DVDs or standard-definition content, but it doesn’t stop us from enjoying Friends re-runs on Comedy Central.

Set-up

Blu-ray-in-a-box systems can sometimes be fiddly to get set up, but assembling the Sony BDV-N5200W was a breeze.

For one, the well-built speakers are small and easy to place around the room.

While they can be placed on top of your TV stand or on a wall for neatness, we’d suggest investing in speaker stands for the better support and positioning. The compact centre speaker shouldn’t block the bottom half of the TV either, so you can comfortably place it directly in front of your screen.

The wires are all helpfully colour-coded, too. This speeds up the set-up process considerably, as you know which speakers to plug into the main unit (front, centre and subwoofer), while the rear speakers plug into a separate wireless amplifier that can be neatly tucked away at the back of the room.

It may not be an entirely wireless system, but it does minimise a mess of wires across the room.

While there’s no auto-calibration method like with dedicated AV amplifiers, there is scope to adjust the level and distance for each speaker manually.

It’s easy enough for a layman to get to grips with, and means you can tweak the centre’s sound if you feel the dialogue could be more prominent, or if the rear speakers need to be subdued.

We’d suggest you calibrate the speakers (using a sound pressure level meter, ideally) before proper listening, and to let the system run in for at least a day to bed in.

The menus, while slightly labyrinthine, are quick and easy to scroll through using the supplied remote. It fits nicely in hand, and the buttons are logically laid out.

You can use the TV SideView app (free to download for iOS and Android devices) as well, which offers a detailed electronic programme guide, TV information and easier access to smart apps.

Features and connectivity

If the Sony’s performance wasn’t enough, there’s also a huge amount of smart features packed into this box of surprises.

The Blu-ray player handles Full HD and 3D content, 4K-upscaling, and also supports the rarer DSD and SACD formats.

Wired ethernet and built-in wi-fi connections open up a world of on-demand video and music streaming services, starting with the well-catalogued Sony Entertainment Network.

Smart apps like BBC iPlayer, Netflix, YouTube, Demand 5 and Amazon Instant are also available. There’s also an FM tuner with 20 presets.

There’s Bluetooth streaming, near-field communication (NFC) pairing and DLNA certification on board, letting you stream music from a variety of devices.

If you have music on a smartphone, laptop or NAS device, you can stream them to the Sony system. Connections aren't plentiful, but then again you already have your disc-player and 5.1ch amplifier in the box so we won’t moan about the limited variety.

There are two HDMI inputs for plugging in your set-top box or games console, an HDMI output, an optical input and a pair of RCA plugs.

Videos and songs stored on a flash drive or hard drive can played using the USB port – it supports all popular files, from MP3s to FLAC.

Verdict

There’s little this Sony BDV-N5200W can’t do. As a home cinema system, it’s as tidy and convenient as it can get.

And you don’t have to cash in your life savings either – £500 is a fantastic deal for what you’re getting. You could spend just as much on just an AV amplifier (which would admittedly give you a more revealing and powerful performance).

But the Sony BDV-N5200W strives to give you an effortless system, one where everything you need for a decent home cinema system is packed into a single package.

It’s an accomplished performer, too, and a fantastic step into the delights of home cinema for an AV novice: well worth an audition.

MORE: Awards 2014 - all the winners

Meridian Surround Sound System for Jaguar F-Type

£1700 upgrade cost

5 stars

Jaguar has had something of a renaissance in recent years, successfully shaking off a reputation as a dated, dad-dancing-at-a-wedding kind of brand into a modern mover and shaker. The company now has a portfolio of successful and desirable cars, including the sensational Jaguar F-Type.

The F-Type is undoubtedly an exciting, entertaining four-wheeled funhouse, and there's some interesting stuff going on inside the cabin too. We're talking in-car audio, courtesy of that bastion of British hi-fi, Meridian.

The Huntingdon-based hi-fi manufacturer has produced some iconic pieces of hi-fi kit over the years, and it's the company's hi-fi pedigree, including its Trifield sound processing technology that Jaguar has tapped into for the F-Type.

Trifield uses clever processing to turn a stereo signal into three channels, left, right and centre. This makes it ideal for in-car use, where you can't sit right between a left and right speaker to enjoy a proper stereo image.

Background

Before we took the F-Type for a spin, Alan Trevena, Jaguar's Audio Systems Technical Specialist at Jaguar Land Rover spent some time talking us through the ins and outs of the system, including the various stages of its development and production:

"We put around 300 hours work into tuning the system. You've got people working on different sprints, all trying to reach the finishing line at the same time. The problem here is that there are interdependencies between them. We need to get on the car, but in its early stages, when some fittings and fixtures aren't in place – so the seats may not be in or patches of material might not be in place. These can all have an impact on sound quality.

"So, we approach things in a number of stages. The bulk of the work is done fairly early on where we get the basics of the EQ (equalisation) done. Then, when we get to the later design phases and get closer to production, we jump back in to the car to refine everything. We want to leave this process as late as possible, so we've got the most representative version of the car.

"The F-Type in particular we were still fine-tuning up to a couple of weeks before final production started. We were listening to it to make sure any last-minute changes to the trim, exhaust system etc weren't affecting the car."

System details

Meridian offers two systems for the F-Type, the £850 'Sound System,' which includes 10 speakers and 380W total power and the £1700 'Surround Sound System' (tested here), which takes the speaker count up to 12 and more than doubles the power to 770W.

It's the surround system that offers Trifield technology, made possible due to the addition of a centre speaker (which uses a mid/bass driver and tweeter) in the middle, on top of the dashboard.

Our test car was the convertible (a coupé is also available) – the soft fabric roof served up a few extra issues which Jaguar needed to overcome.

The engineers needed to take into account the general level of noise generated by the car (from the road and the engine). Jaguar admits the F-Type is one of the noisiest cars the company has ever made, and although opening up the sports exhaust on this V8 S model creates a wonderfully throaty roar, without all the engineering it wouldn't take much prodding of the accelerator to drown out any music in the cabin.

When you fancy dropping the roof, a sensor tells the in-car amp what's going on, and the sound processing mode for the car switches. Because the dominant frequencies in the car shift in the absence of the roof (i.e there's a reduction in bass and an increase in mids and highs), the car and its speakers have to adapt accordingly. It's like taking the top, or a side off a conventional stereo speaker. Sort of.

The shift in processing is done very subtly, which is how it should be - the last thing you need is a sudden switch in levels interrupting your Justin Bieberathon.

Sound quality

Meridian's Surround Sound System system sounds as weighty, powerful and engaging with the roof up as it does down. And, stuck in traffic, you really come to appreciate the addition of that centre channel and the Trifield technology that comes with it.

The fact you have a decent soundstage front and centre really does add to the enjoyment. Apart from the odd exhaust blast proving a temporary, pleasant background distraction, there's plenty of clarity, separation, and with it, detail.

Play Eminem's Bad Guy and the blend between all the speakers is super-smooth. The two, 25cm subwoofers (one behind each seat) hit hard and with a great deal of weight yet they still blend in perfectly. The angry rhyming contrasts nicely with the delicate female vocal in the chorus.

We had to dial the bass down a notch or two from the off-the-trailer setting, but the system still sounds like all the various elements are working together in unison – poorly balanced systems can have off-beat timing and major integration issues.

Turn off Trifield and you can set the system to standard stereo mode. Here, music sounds much more stretched and isolated. It's perfectly listenable, of course, but we'd much rather keep the Trifield status quo.

We'd go so far as to say there's no real need to wander from the car's Trifield setting. The Dolby and DTS pseudo-surround modes don't bring anything much to the party, apart from a greater sense of surround using the speakers located behind each seat. If anything, the sound firing out towards you feels overly processed and unnatural.

As you'd expect DAB has a slightly more compressed flavour to its sound than FM, but the Meridian set-up still makes music spritely and engaging on Radio One, and dialogue clear and cohesive on Radio 5 Live.

If you want to play tunes stored on a smartphone, there's a 3.5mm input, USB socket or Bluetooth functionality. Bluetooth sounds a touch brighter and a little less refined than a wired connection, but there isn't much between them – although you can, of course, charge over USB too.

Infotainment system

While we can speak highly of the Meridian sound system, the Jaguar's stock touchscreen interface is less of a success. There's no alternative so you have to control all elements of the in-car entertainment through this.

The graphics look dated compared with systems used by Aston Martin and Volkswagen, and the more you use it, the more you realise it's over-complicated. Settings and menus aren't where you expect them and you often find yourself frustrated by the time you finally arrive at your desired destination.

The touchscreen is often a cluttered place featuring numerous icons, many of which feel like they're just getting in the way. Other systems such as that found in the latest VW Golf are easier to navigate and a nicer user experience.

Verdict

While the interface for the F-Type's infotainment system could do with being dragged into the 21st Century, Meridian's Surround Sound System eases the pain with its excellent sound quality – it's one of the first options we'd tick...

MORE: Meridian news and reviews

by Andy Madden

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An all-in-one system is the perfect solution for anyone who wants to boost their TV performance without having to invest in a dedicated home cinema package or breaking the bank.

And the Sony BDV-N7100W is a brilliant performer complete with 3D Blu-ray player, a 5.1 surround speaker package and a host of streaming features packed into a compact and stylish system that costs £600.

MORE: Awards 2013

Performance

Let’s cut straight to the chase – the Sony BDV-N7100W sounds brilliant. It’s exciting, with crystal clear detail, punchy rhythms and precise timing that keeps you content just to sit back and enjoy watching your favourite films.

Subtle detail goes hand in hand with loud and punchy effects that are steered confidently across all five satellite speakers – it’s simply fun to listen to. It won’t reach the same dynamic heights as a traditional (and therefore larger) 5.1 separates system, but the satellites nevertheless deliver an open and dramatic sound for their compact size.

Play ParaNorman on Blu-ray, and the BDV-N7100W’s clarity is stunning with dialogue-heavy scenes –fully conveying the deadpan humour and sarcasm of the characters’ voices.

Switch to something with more explosions, and the Sony delivers all the car crashes, gunshots and shattering glass littered across Michael Bay’s Transformers with precision and punch – the speedy, upbeat nature of the Sony’s sound keeps you engrossed in the action.

The subwoofer doesn’t go as deep or taut as dedicated subs, but it integrates well with the satellites and provides satisfying weight and impact to the overall sound.

The BDV-N7100W goes loud, too, and maintains its clarity and composure even at high volumes. The new design of the satellite speakers has a hand in this performance.

The satellites use Sony’s new ‘Magnetic Fluid Speaker’ technology that swaps the traditional damper for a ferrofluid material – a liquid magnetic material developed by NASA in the 1960s – to reduce distortion and deliver clearer and more accurate sound even at higher volumes. It seems to have worked, especially for the mid-to-high frequencies.

Switch to broadcast TV, and the BDV-N7100W retains its sonic characteristics, with even daytime TV shows starting to look and sound that much more enjoyable. Sony has introduced a new ‘Football Mode’ – a sports feature that uses acoustic measurements taken at a Brazilian stadium to replicate the atmosphere of being at the ground, and also cuts out the commentator’s voice.

We experimented with this feature on BBC’s Wimbledon coverage, and while it does indeed take out the commentary, there’s a great deal of added noise that, to us, sounds unpleasant and brash. Crowd noise is amped up but sounds distorted, and the impact of the racket hitting the ball is softened, losing much of the tension and excitement.

For us, it’s a bit of a gimmick, and not worth sacrificing the overall sound quality of the BDV-N7100W.

Sony knows how to make good Blu-ray players – its budget players have won multiple Awards – so it’s not surprising that the picture quality of the BDV-N7100W is full of subtle detail, vibrant and natural colours, and smooth motion. Deep and subtle black levels add to the impressive quality of the picture.

There’s a slight level of picture noise when it comes to DVD, although that’s to be expected. Test its 3D-playing capabilities with the stunning landscapes of Life of Pi, and the image remains bright and clear. The TV and type of 3D of course matters, but the Sony delivers a picture with stable motion and a dramatic depth.

Design

The Sony BDV-N7100W is a striking-looking system, with slim and elegant speakers and a stylish Blu-ray player that isn’t your usual run-of-the-mill black box. The top cover slides open to reveal the disc tray, and there’s a glowing blue light that blinks every time a button is pressed on the remote control.

Sony’s new Sense of Quartz style is angular and attractive without being too flashy – it looks stylish, and complements Sony’s 2013 range of BRAVIA TVs. Our review sample was finished in black, but there is a white version available, too.

Open the neatly packed box and it might be easy to panic at the number of components and wiring involved. Mercifully, everything is labelled and colour-coded so you know exactly what goes where – you’ll be able to set up the BDV-N7100W faster than most Ikea furniture.

The front speakers and subwoofer connect to the Blu-ray player, while the rear speakers go into a separate unit that connects to the Blu-ray player wirelessly (transmitters are included). This means you can keep that main unit tucked away at back of the room to reduce the mess.

You should take a bit of care with positioning the speakers. You can wall-mount them for added height, otherwise you’ll need to invest in two pairs of stands, such as the Award-winning Soundstyle Z2s (£70 a pair). We propped the centre speaker in front of the TV like a soundbar, although you might want to use a stand for that as well to reduce vibrations.

Once everything is in place, you simply run the auto calibration with the included microphone. It’s quick and fairly accurate, although its good practice to check on the measurements manually.

Connectivity 

‘Blu-ray in a box’ seems an insufficient moniker for what this range-topping Sony BDV-N7100W system can do. Not only does it play 3D Blu-rays and DVDs, it also supports CD and SACD discs, and streams music from smartphones and tablets via Bluetooth.

You can connect via NFC, too – simply tap a compatible smart device on the NFC tag on the Blu-ray player and you’re good to go.

DLNA support means we were able to stream music files from connected NAS device or laptop, although it’s worth bearing in mind that the Sony favours MP3, WMA and AAC songs – there’s no support for WAV or FLAC files.

The built-in wi-fi and wired ethernet connectivity means video and music streaming is possible thanks to the comprehensive Sony Entertainment Network service. You also get popular smart apps such as YouTube, BBC iPlayer, video on demand services Netflix and LoveFilm, and internet radio service vTuner.

Social apps are available, too – be sure to keep the software updated to make sure all the apps run smoothly.

The Sony keeps connectivity simple with two HDMI inputs and one output – support for ARC (Audio Return Channel) and 4K upscaling is available, too. There’s also a digital optical input, a pair of analogue inputs and an FM antenna.

Interface

Last year’s Xross Media Bar menu system is still present on the BDV-N7100W – it’s a smooth and fast interface, although the list-style interface is starting to feel a little convoluted.

We wish it had the simpler tile arrangement found in its new range of TVs. Still, it’s easy to find your way around with the supplied remote control handset. Sony's remotes are ergonomic and instinctive to use, and the entire system is responsive and easy to live with.

You can also use Sony’s TV SideView app (right) on your smartphone or tablet to control the TV, although we’re not too convinced by the small volume and playback buttons on the screen.

Verdict

This is a brilliantly put together system for the money. The design and streaming features certainly attract, but above all we love the Sony’s enthusiastic and detailed performance with both picture and sound.

While home cinema enthusiasts might prefer a dedicated separates system, the BDV-N7100W is a talented and exciting system that’s definitely worth a place in any home.

See our home cinema in a box Best Buys

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