If there’s one thing my 20-plus years of writing about AV tech have taught me, it’s there’s no such thing as the perfect product.

Whether it’s wireless earbuds, music streamers or flatscreen TVs, there’s always room for improvement, even in the very best five-star performers.

And the world of Dolby Atmos soundbars is no different. It’s a category that has exploded in recent years as support for the audio format has gained momentum, thanks to its ability to add an extra dimension to traditional surround sound.

But what if I had a blank sheet of paper and could create the perfect Dolby Atmos soundbar, combining the best bits from models we’ve had through the What Hi-Fi? Test rooms?

Below, I’ve attempted just that. My aim? To try and build a bar that delivers a bit of everything in your hunt for convenience and amazing, immersive sound quality.

What would you like to see in your ultimate Dolby Atmos soundbar? Let me know in the comments below.

JBL's flexibility

Part of the selling point of a soundbar is the convenience. Many people want to improve their TV’s audio but haven’t got the space for a traditional full-blown surround sound set-up and all the big boxes and reams of cabling that it entails.

This hasn’t stopped the emergence, though, of what we’d call soundbar systems. These halfway house packages include surround speakers, such as the Samsung HW-Q990D.

But even this solution still leaves you with extra boxes cluttering up your living room and, in many cases, these boxes (specifically rear surround speakers) require a power cable running to them.

However, JBL has come up with a genius solution which I would love to see more manufacturers implement. The unique feature of the JBL Bar 1300 is that it has speakers at either end of the soundbar, which, when detached, turn into wireless surrounds.

Not only this, they can be used as portable Bluetooth speakers, which gives you an immense amount of flexibility and added value.

The wireless surrounds even have an upfiring driver, which helps with the dispersion of effects at the rear of your viewing position.

Worried about them running out of steam before the end of your LOTR movie marathon? Battery life of around 12 hours should put your mind at rest (and should even cover you for the extended editions of the Rings trilogy).

Sonos' precision

The Sonos Arc Ultra is arguably the best Dolby Atmos soundbar you can buy if you’re looking at all-round performance for the money. And a huge chunk of its appeal comes from the sound quality it spits out.

In particular, it delivers some of the most precise placement of dialogue, Dolby Atmos effects and bass that we’ve experienced from a standalone soundbar.

In our Sonos Arc review, we noted that the “increased precision helps keep everything organised both rhythmically and spatially”. It’s a dab hand at extracting a real sense of atmosphere from any soundtrack it’s asked to handle.

Lower down the frequency range, we noted that “bass notes hit with greater force and stop more precisely, and they’re tuneful in a way that makes the bass from the original Arc sound somewhat leaden and one-dimensional”.

Partly responsible for this awesome audio are the bar’s Sound Motion drivers. These clever units have four smaller, lightweight motors in opposing corners, which push the cone more than the single motor you find in most traditional drivers.

These motors push the cone to shift far more air and produce far more bass. But the extra agility in the low-frequency performance also makes the Arc Ultra even more musical than its close rivals.

Sony's scale

No Dolby Atmos soundbar we’ve tested does room-filling sound quite like the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9.

While it’s not difficult for a good soundbar to bring an improvement to your TV’s sound, it can be difficult for a soundbar to truly fill your living room and deliver a proper home cinema experience with enough of a sense of scale to make the bar just blend into the background.

Step forward the Bravia Theatre Bar 9. It features 13 drivers and quad passive radiators with the array designed to create a 'bubble of sound' in your room using Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Mapping.

This extra processing creates phantom speakers in places where physical speakers don’t exist, and the effects are fantastic.

Sony also uses its Sound Field Optimisation processing to get the soundbar performing optimally for your particular room layout and viewing conditions.

In our Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 review, we said it “puts in arguably the most Atmos-y delivery we’ve heard from a solo soundbar”. We also remarked that it “pushes sound far out to the left and right, a long way into the room and right up to the ceiling” – which is exactly what you want from a soundbar.

The last thing you need to hear is gaps in the sound field, and the Sony is an expert at filling these in.

Samsung's bass

If there’s one area where soundbars can struggle, it’s in the bass department.

Given the laws of physics and the slim dimensions of many soundbars, it probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise that, generally, they can’t unleash a lot of low frequency heft.

But even when a subwoofer is added, the integration between bar and bass box isn’t always perfect and can make the sound more disjointed. The quality of bass can be sub-par too, with explosions and rumbles sounding thick, wallowy and ill-defined.

Which is why I’d take the bass performance from the recently tested Samsung HW-Q990F.

This soundbar package includes a cool cube subwoofer that not only hits hard with plenty of power behind it but also sounds controlled and dynamic, and paints low frequencies with the kind of tonal texture you rarely hear from such systems.

In our Samsung HW-Q990F review, we said bass sounds "organic, balanced, and seamlessly integrated into the system", which is a tricky thing to accomplish.

Nakamichi's features

The Nakamichi Dragon 11.4.6 might not have blown us away in the sound department, but there are a few features I’m drawn to that seem to make sense for a Dolby Atmos soundbar.

Take the satellite speakers. Each unit features two drivers pointing in different directions so that they can serve as surround or surround-back speakers.

Not only this, each one has an upward-firing driver on top that can be rotated to five pre-set positions to angle the overhead sound towards your seating position.

Other soundbars could learn from the Nakamichi’s wired connectivity and excellent choice of inputs too. These include an HDMI eARC socket plus three full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 connections that support 4K up to 120Hz, or 8K up to 60Hz, as well as VRR and ALLM.

The Dragon 11.4.6 also supports HDR10, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision HDR through those HDMI passthrough ports. All Dolby formats are supported, as is DTS:X Pro, which is a rarity in the world of soundbars.

Oh, and did I mention this bonkers bar even has a concierge service, which you can use if you’re having any technical difficulties?

MORE:

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2025 has been a truly left-field year for projectors. Whereas 2024 was the year for traditional, premium home cinema projectors such as the Sony Bravia 8 Projector and JVC DLA-NZ800, 2025 has seen the rise of quirky portable and lifestyle projectors.

We've seen some truly unique projectors enter our AV testing room, including the Xgimi MoGo 4, Optoma Photo Go, Samsung Premiere 5 and Nebula X1.

Each of these projectors has its oddities, whether that's a nifty folding design, a modular expansion kit to improve the audio performance or the fact that a couple of them are redefining the definition of ultra-short throw.

I'll start with the positives and list some of the things I really do like about the aforementioned projectors.

Starting with the Xgimi, I think the design is great. It's stylish and functional, with a handy rotating stand that allows for easy positioning, and it can be folded away into a neat cylinder to take on the go.

The same can be said about the Optoma Photon Go, as it also features a unique form factor that makes it the smallest and most portable ultra-short-throw projector we've seen to date.

It also happens to sound quite good, which can't be said for many portable projectors.

I also want to give Xgimi and Optoma some extra credit for including built-in batteries, as many portable projectors somehow still rely on a connection to the mains in order to work, which sort of defeats the point.

The Samsung Premiere 5, on the other hand, delivers a genuinely impressive sound performance, and its fully-fledged TizenOS streaming system supports every app we could hope for.

The Nebula, on the other hand, is the closest we've seen to a traditional 4K home cinema projector. It features a chassis that our TV and AV Editor, Tom Parsons, likened to a sci-fi turret you'd find in the likes of Star Wars or Battlestar Galactica.

It uses AI to find the perfect picture position and is compatible with a full range of modular accessories, including a handy gimble mount, a wireless speaker system, and even wireless karaoke microphones.

However, there is one unifying aspect that means that, personally speaking, I can't see myself investing in any of them.

While I understand that compromises need to be made for smaller, more portable form factors, I can't get fully on board with the picture trade-offs.

Now, that's not to say that a couple of these projectors don't impress; the Xgimi and Nebula both scored an admirable four for picture.

But as someone who puts picture performance above all else, I'd rather opt for a less convenient projector that delivers the goods where picture performance is concerned.

The Xgimi, Optoma and Samsung feature 1080p resolutions, which can look a bit soft compared to the 4K beamers that we're used to seeing. The Nebula is a 4K projector, but we did find some issues related to picture noise and motion.

Furthermore, the Samsung Premiere 5 and Nebula X1 both sport price tags in the region of £2000. For that money, I could get the five-star BenQ X3100i (£2099), Epson EH-TW7100 (which can now be found for £1349), or even the BenQ W1800 (which currently sits at around £999).

Hisense's C1 projector also sits at around £999 currently, and it features a 4K picture, as well as a rather impressive JBL sound system.

Furthermore, its moderately-sized cube chassis is easy enough to pick up and move around, and with Vidaa on board, streaming is taken care of.

Those final three options are cheap enough that I could also budget for a screen, or even an affordable AV receiver to kick-start a proper home cinema setup.

Admittedly, the most affordable model in this list is the most appealing to me. Xgimi's MoGo 4 projector is cheap enough to justify a good rather than great picture (we reviewed it at £509), and its ultra-compact form factor has truly won me over.

So, if I had to go with any of these quirky new projectors, it would be the Xgimi. However, the Hisense looms large as it steps up to 4K resolution, and it sounds pretty great too.

It might not be super practical to take on the go, but I can always invest in an extension cable if needed.

MORE:

Check out our picks for the best portable projectors

As well as our Xgimi MoGo 4 review

And our list of the best projectors

Home cinema speaker systems are our preferred method of achieving immersive cinematic sound. We’re willing to admit, though, that they are, frankly speaking, a bit of a hassle to set up and live with.

We wouldn’t blame anyone for not wanting to traipse cables around their living room, or have floorstanding speakers take up precious space – so what’s the alternative?

The wireless soundbar surround-sound system, of course! This genre of easy-to-use sound systems has been steadily growing in popularity, with more and more manufacturers adding wireless surround speakers and a subwoofer to their Dolby Atmos soundbars.

When it comes to nailing the concept, we have to give Samsung some kudos, as last year’s HW-Q990D was an absolute doozy. This all-in-one surround sound solution skyrocketed its way into the Product of the Year slot, as it delivered grade-A audio performance in an easy-to-use, fuss-free package.

So, when the Korean tech goliath announced the newest version of this neat concept, we were immediately intrigued. Enter the HW-Q990F, a soundbar package that, on the surface, doesn’t look a whole lot different from its predecessor.

In fact, the spotlight seems to be placed mostly on an adorable new subwoofer, but don’t be fooled by its cute cubic chassis, as it packs an almighty punch that takes this already superb soundbar system into a whole new league.

Price

The Samsung HW-Q990F is officially priced at £1699 / $1999 / AU$1999. That’s the same price as its predecessor in the UK and Australia, though the US has been subjected to a $400 price increase.

That being said, we’re already seeing discounts that bring it down to $1600. That’s still $200 more than its predecessor’s launch price in the States, but it's a start.

Therein lies a wider issue; the HW-Q990D is still available at a wide selection of retailers, and it can be snapped up for around half the price of the new model.

The good news is that the 2024 model has seen some truly aggressive discounts throughout its lifespan, so we expect to see some equally good deals eventually come to the HW-Q990F.

Largely speaking, Samsung is its own biggest competitor in this sector, as LG’s equivalent package scored an underwhelming three stars in our review, so we can’t really recommend it as an alternative.

There is the Sonos Arc Ultra Immersive Set, which combines the power of the Sonos Arc Ultra (five stars) with a pair of Era 300 speakers (Award-winners), but you’re looking at £2969 / $2969 / AU$4596 for that package – and even more if you also want to add a sub.

Build

If there is one area where we’d like to see Samsung change things up with this concept, it's the design. Most of the elements of the Q990F package look very similar to the Q990D, which in turn looked very similar to the Q990C.

The bar itself is an angular hexagonal shape measuring 7 x 123 x 14cm (hwd), with a lined pattern running the length of the top panel. You’ll find a selection of buttons on top to change source, mute the onboard microphones and adjust the volume, with a simplistic dot matrix display on the front displaying corresponding information.

Samsung bundles a simplistic remote with functions to change the input, sound mode and EQ for the system, as well as adjusting the subwoofer level and enabling or disabling the SpaceFit Sound feature.

The surround speakers are also the same boxy, angular design as found with the 2024 model, including the handy cable guide on the bottom edge. They also carry identical dimensions to the 2024 versions, measuring 20 x 13 x 14cm.

Where this version truly differs from its predecessor is with the included subwoofer. Samsung has swapped from a tall, narrow cuboid sub to a much more compact, rounded-cube subwoofer. Side by side, the old subwoofer absolutely dwarfs the new model, with its dimensions of 25 x 25 x 25cm (hwd).

Features

We can’t really find fault with the HW-Q990F’s feature set. It’s an 11.1.4 system with 23 drivers across the bar, surrounds and sub. That’s 15 drivers in the main soundbar, three drivers in each of the surround-sound units, and dual 20cm force-cancelling drivers in the subwoofer, which features a claimed 300W power output.

The soundbar and surrounds feature upward-firing drivers for Dolby Atmos height effects (DTS:X is also supported). Samsung recommends placing the rear surround speakers at a 135-150-degree angle behind the listening position, though the system will compensate if you opt to place them in a different position.

Interestingly, the Smart Things app, which can be used to control a variety of functions on the soundbar, has an option to reconfigure the system with the surround speakers at the front to work in tandem with the soundbar. We strongly recommend placing them in the intended rear position for the best surround-sound experience, though.

Speaking of the Smart Things app, we deem it to be a solid, and in many cases, the preferred method of interacting with the bar. The included remote has plenty of useful buttons, including a dedicated rocker to increase or decrease the subwoofer level, but the simplistic dot matrix display on the front of the soundbar is often hard to interpret.

The wireless surrounds and subwoofer connect to the bar seamlessly with an easy pairing process, and once they’re in position, you shouldn’t need to adjust anything. Samsung kindly provides different-length cables in the box, despite all components of the system using the same connection for power. It’s worth saving the longest leads for the surround speakers as this allows for greater flexibility during set-up.

Samsung has, unsurprisingly, imbued the Q990F with a hearty helping of its proprietary functions and technology.

SpaceFit Sound Pro returns, which utilises the built-in microphones to constantly monitor and adjust the soundbar and subwoofer to accommodate your viewing space. It’s an optional feature, but we find it to work rather well and see no reason not to switch it on.

Q Symphony is also on board, allowing Samsung TV users to utilise the speakers in their TV alongside the soundbar system, using the power of AI to synchronise the sound. Your mileage with this feature will vary depending on the Samsung TV you pair it with, though we often find that the different drivers within the TV don’t always gel well with the rest of the system; especially considering that the Q990F features excellent tonal balance between its components (more on this later).

There are a handful of Samsung-specific sound processing modes too, many of which can also be found on Samsung TVs – who doesn’t love a bit of synergy? Active Voice Amplifier Pro, which is an AI-backed dialogue enhancement sound mode that can adapt to ambient noise levels in your viewing space, is on board.

Private Listening mode, on the other hand, disables the soundbar and subwoofer and instead relies on the surround speakers to direct sound to your specific listening position. This is an interesting alternative to the sort of Night mode that is found on many sound systems.

There is also a Moderate Bass setting, which disables the subwoofer to allow the soundbar to handle lower frequencies, and a Party mode, which synchronises the rear speakers to play music in all directions.

On top of these are a handful of other sound modes, including Standard, Surround, Game and Adaptive. The last of these will automatically adjust the sound based on the content you’re watching, whereas the Standard option will output the audio channels carried by the original signal.

This is, of course, restricted to anywhere between 2.0 to 7.1.4, meaning the system will never utilise the full 11.1.4 channels that the system is capable of. Instead, the named sound modes above will use processing to upmix signals into the full 11.1.4 output.

Alongside Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, this is the first soundbar in Samsung's range to support Eclipsa Audio. Samsung partnered with Google to develop this open-source immersive audio format as an alternative to Atmos, though it can only be accessed via YouTube currently, with no current plans to extend this to films or TV shows via the mainstream services that we are aware of.

Finally, we have the connectivity features of the HW-Q990F. HDMI eARC and optical ports handle audio transmission from your TV, while the additional HDMI sockets, of which there are two, serve as passthrough sockets.

Both are rated to the HDMI 2.1 standard, with support for up to 4K/120Hz signals, plus HDR10+ and Dolby Vision.

Wireless connectivity is also stellar, with Google Cast, Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Amazon Music and Deezer, and it's even Roon compatible.

Alongside the music services, the HW-Q990F is also compatible with a duo of voice assistants, with Amazon Alexa built in and Works with Google Assistant certification.

Sound

It takes a moment to decipher the upgrades that the Q990F delivers over its predecessor. However, once we become attuned to the new system, we realise that Samsung has taken a spectacular soundbar package and turned it into an exemplary one.

We’ve paired the system with our reference Sony Bravia 8 OLED TV, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, and a handful of our reference discs, including Civil War, Dune: Part Two, Blade Runner 2049 and The Dark Knight Rises.

We set up this system in the same way we did its predecessor, opting for the Surround mode with SpaceFit Pro on.

Adaptive is also a good option for those who appreciate a punchier and more assertive sound. However, we feel that it makes certain sound effects stick out in an unnatural way. That being said, it's a close second to Surround, and we especially like that it can, as the name suggests, adapt to different types of content.

We’ll start with the positives that translate from last year’s model. The Q990F retains its clear and crisp sound. Dialogue, such as the conversation between Officer K and Joi in the former’s apartment, sounds excellent, with natural and detailed voices that carry plenty of subtle inflection. This carries forth to sound effects, with the slashing Fremen knives in Dune sounding crisp and textured.

Furthermore, we have to commend the Q990F’s delivery of Dolby Atmos effects. The “bubble of sound” that we look for in any Dolby Atmos system is well and truly present here, and it’s not just the impressively placed height effects that we like. It's the way that the soundbar and surrounds are so tonally well matched, while the audio processing ensures that sounds move organically between the channels, that truly seals the deal for us.

The disembodied voices that narrate the hologram adverts outside K’s apartment in Blade Runner are at an appropriate height and are placed relative to their position on screen with impressive accuracy. It’s not miles apart from the Q990D, but the Q990F’s handling of Dolby Atmos is certainly an improvement on an already very capable product.

We try a non-Atmos movie in the form of The Dark Knight Rises, using the plane heist sequence from the beginning of the film. The HW-Q990F once again has no issue delivering a convincing surround-sound experience, and while the height effects are missing, we still hear plenty of effects being passed from the ’bar to the surrounds in the ensuing chaos.

Another familiar area that the Q990F excels in is dynamics. The pulse-pounding battle sequence in the final third of Civil War features dynamic build-ups with punchy and weighty payoffs, while immediate dynamic shifts, such as sudden gunshots, are impactful too.

Subtle improvements in areas we already approved of with its predecessor are one thing; however, the Q990F has an ace up its sleeve in the form of its new subwoofer. To cut a long story short, it is incredibly effective, and it elevates the system as a whole.

We run our bass stress test, Blade Runner 2049’s chapter two sequence, which includes the notoriously tricky Flight To The LAPD track. The crackle and occasionally unfocused low-end that we observed on the Q990D’s subwoofer is nowhere to be heard. Instead, the Q990F’s rich and powerful bass sounds are controlled and dynamic, as we gain a sense of mounting tension as K approaches the police precinct.

There is a much greater sense of tonal variation from this sub, which unearths a new layer to the bass. The Q990F’s bass feels more organic, balanced, and seamlessly integrated into the system as a result.

Dune: Part Two’s Harkonnen Arena sequence has a range of bass-heavy alien chanting and a bone-rattling score, and we are immediately immersed thanks to the Q990F’s encompassing sound and rich, textured bass.

Switching to music, we put the bar into the Standard sound mode for some two-channel testing, though we should mention that the subwoofer is still activated in this setting.

Aurora’s Churchyard and Wolf Alice’s Bloom, Baby Bloom (via Tidal Connect) are both presented with a clear-cut sense of timing and rhythmic drive, more so than the previous model. Vocals sound clear and emotive, while instruments have depth and texture.

Our music testing ultimately affirms the positive attributes that we discovered with our movie testing.

Verdict

This is how to take a product that was already highly regarded and make it even better. Samsung’s upgrades didn’t appear to be that striking on paper, but the HW-Q990F’s enhancements need to be heard to be believed.

Once again, this system should be on the radar for anyone who wants a full Dolby Atmos experience without having to buy an AVR or finding the space to place countless speakers around your room.

The compact new cube subwoofer is easily the star of the show, offering a richer, more focused sound with greater tonal variation. Who knew shrinking down a core component of your system could deliver such huge performance gains?

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Features 5
• Build 4

Also Consider

FAQs

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The best surround sound systems for anyone looking to upgrade from a soundbar

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I watched 28 Years Later during its opening weekend in late June 2025. Two weeks on, and Danny Boyle and Alex Garland's post-apocalyptic film has remained at the forefront of my mind.

The film is still showing in cinemas, so you can be reassured that we won't be revealing any plot spoilers here. However, if you want to watch the film completely fresh – and we would highly recommend you do so – save this page, go watch the film, and come back and read this after.

Because I think 28 Years Later will make a terrific test disc and deliver a heart-stopping, beautiful experience in your home cinema set-up.

If you've seen the incredible trailer (above, set to the haunting recording of a 1903 Rudyard Kipling poem "Boots" about the horrors of the Second Boer War, recited with increasing intensity by American actor Taylor Holmes in 1915), you'll know that 28 Years Later takes place 28 years after the events of the first film, where a rage virus resulted in the breakdown of society in the UK.

In the present day (year 2031 in the film), the rage virus is now largely contained, but the British Isles remain under strict quarantine. The new film focusing on the small, ration-controlled and technology-absent community of survivors on Lindisfarne island (also called Holy Island) off the north east coast of England.

You cannot access this island at high tide – a real-life location.

There are two reasons why I think that 28 Years Later will become a go-to test disc for our AV reviewing team when it comes out on 4K Blu-ray later this year.

The main reason is that the film is full of nature and realism. This is no tech-laden, metallic-hued sci-fi dystopian film; the cast's venture out onto the mainland shows an England where nature is allowed to flourish and run wild.

The English countryside has never looked more bountiful and beautiful. Lush, green landscapes for as far as the eye can see, with bright and tall yellow wildflowers swaying prettily against a clear blue sky. It is idyllic.

It's this naturalistic tone of those greens and blues that can be difficult to get right on a 4K TV screen or a projector. They need to look subtle, nuanced and detailed and not overblown, but with subtleties pulling through even while giving us the deep, punchy hues of the healthy trees and sparkling sea.

The film's unusual 2.76:1 widescreen aspect ratio also creates a level of immersion that works for these natural scenes as well as for the creeping terror of any surprises appearing at the edges of the screen.

Coupled with this are the skin tones of the characters. Newcomer Alfie Williams is a stand-out talent as 12-year-old Spike as we follow him throughout the film. There are many scenes that focus on his face, with such wide-eyed innocence and fear, that will be a true test of how a screen will juggle such natural skin tones while still delivering enough texture and dimensionality around him.

The second reason is focused on one particular scene in the early half of the film. It's no spoiler to say that there is at least one chase scene in the film, but this one is so fraught, so tense that it frays the nerves – from a cramped scene in an attic (which will be a great test for surround sound) to a heart-in-mouth night-time scene that is a race against time.

As father and son break from the mainland to the coast, we are met with a jaw-dropping scene of the night sky – absolutely splattered with stars and the Milky Way galaxy in a scene that completely took my breath away. The widescreen format shows the vast scale of the landscape, with the clouds and dust of the Milky Way illuminating the dark night sky and reflecting on the sea's surface with so many different hues.

Like the greenery and forests, it emphasises a world where there is zero light pollution – a startling beauty as a consequence of the horrors faced by humans.

Of course, this scene will be a stellar test of your OLED TV's black levels: luscious depth to show the contrast of those shining stars against inky blacks, but enough detail and subtlety in shadows to show what is actually happening as the plot unfurls.

Danny Boyle takes an inventive and immediate tone with his filming, much like he did with 28 Days Later in 2002. The first film was revolutionary in using a standard-definition (480p) Canon digital camcorder to shoot scenes quickly (such as early morning scenes of a quiet, abandoned London), which lends to the film's gritty and grainy low-res aesthetic.

In 28 Years Later, Boyle and co. have honoured this digital filmmaking tradition with the use of drones and, surprisingly, iPhones. An iPhone 15 Pro Max, in particular, was used in various ways to film portions of the film – the cast would use it to shoot scenes themselves, special rigs were built to hold multiple iPhones, including a custom-built circular rig with 20 iPhones to achieve certain action shots.

It was used so that the crew could film quickly and with less equipment being lugged around, along with having the film feel more immediate and personal from the characters' POV in certain scenes.

I had read that an iPhone was used for filming, but I completely forgot about it until after I had watched the film. At no point does it ever look anything short of cinematic. That stark naturalism that Boyle and Garland clearly wanted to achieve is apparent, but such is the advancement of the lens on an iPhone (4K, 60fps) that its high-resolution quality surpasses the old Canon XL1 camcorder beyond belief.

This film will easily age far better – in terms of picture quality and retaining its clarity, tone and depth – than 28 Days, when seen on any 4K (or even Full HD) screen.

Regardless of how it was filmed, I think 28 Years Later is an arresting, layered and deeply beautiful film that will stay with you long after the credits roll. Seen on a talented screen with a sound system that is capable of revealing quiet detail and heart-stomping intensity, it will make an astounding addition to your home cinema library.

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Optoma’s latest home entertainment projector sure knows how to grab your attention.

Big numbers such as 30,000 hours of uninterrupted viewing from its dual laser light engine, 95 per cent coverage of the most common HDR colour spectrum and a huge claimed 5000 lumens of maximum brightness all raise hopes that the UHZ68LV will have more than enough in its picture quality locker to stand out from the mid-range projector crowd.

Add to all of the above the fact that it’s the first projector we’ve seen that supports both of the premium Dolby Vision and HDR10+ high dynamic range video formats, and the UHZ68LV sounds almost too good to be true…

Price

The UHZ68LV’s £3999 / $5999 price places it relatively high up in Optoma’s current home projector range, and establishes it as a fairly serious home entertainment proposition at a time when even the upper end of the casual projector market tends to come in at below half that.

So it’s likely either a dedicated home cinema room projector or, possibly, with its 5000 lumens brightness, a lifestyle projector for a particularly large and bright living room along the lines of some of the premium Ultra Short Throw projectors we’ve seen. Except that it isn’t a UST model.

Rivals in the same sort of ballpark would be the excellent Epson EH-QB1000B and equally impressive BenQ W5800. The UHZ68LV is going to have to pull out all the stops to keep up with such illustrious company.

Design

The UHZ68LV’s design manages to look stylish while simultaneously leaving you in no doubt that this is intended to be a serious bit of home entertainment kit.

It leaves a large footprint, indicating both some relatively uncompromising optics and, hopefully, a good integrated exhaust system for limiting the heat and noise from its cooling fans. The lens at the centre of its front edge is large, too, raising hopes of relatively uncompromised clarity from the projector’s claimed 4K resolution.

While the black finish of the majority of the bodywork is designed to blend into a proper dark home theatre room, a mixture of slightly different finishes (including a highly reflective gloss top panel), a slightly curved top edge and some eye-catching angular indents on the front and side edges ensure that it doesn’t look ugly with the lights on.

The unusually small remote control you get with the UHZ68LV isn’t the easiest thing to spot in a dark room. Its buttons are backlit, though, and their layout is reasonably logical and spacious.

Features

The UHZ68LV is packed with premium features and specs – so much so that its price (in the UK, at least) has the potential to end up feeling like a bargain.

The 5000 lumens Optoma claims the UHZ68LV can get out of its dual laser light engine lies at the heart of its appeal, beating the light output of the previously mentioned Epson QB1000B and BenQ W5800 rivals by a mighty 1700 and 2400 lumens respectively.

Optoma choosing to push the UHZ68LV’s brightness to such an extreme level can indicate two things: either it wants its projector to reach areas of performance with home cinema-friendly HDR content that projectors typically can’t get to, or it wants its projector to be able to punch through quite high levels of ambient light in a regular living room environment.

The UHZ68LV ultimately feels much more tuned and set up for the home theatre scenario than the bright room one. It’s not exactly portable enough, nor easy enough to set up, to easily cart between different rooms, while its colossal 3,200,000:1 claimed contrast ratio certainly sounds like something designed with the extreme contrast of serious movie nights in mind.

Its support for 4K resolution playback courtesy of DLP projection’s so-called XPR technology (a system the US Consumer Technology Association considers to deliver a true rather than pseudo 4K experience) also confirms a willingness to take on board the best quality sources the AV world currently has to offer. Something that’s underlined in big red ink by the UHZ68LV’s ability to play both the HDR10+ and Dolby Vision HDR formats, with their extra scene-by-scene picture information.

This essentially means that the UHZ68LV can take in the best version of any content you play into it. Supporting either of these premium HDR formats is still rare in the projector world; supporting both is unprecedented where What Hi-Fi’s test rooms are concerned.

The claimed ability to cover 95 per cent of the DCI-P3 colour spectrum typically used in HDR mastering is promising, too – especially as this is apparently delivered without the need to call in a brightness-reducing wide colour filter.

Yet another premium picture quality touch comes with Optoma’s Pure Engine Ultra system. This includes colour calibration by Optoma’s in-house image experts, contrast and detail enhancements, and an impressive array of setting options that let you customise many of the most critical picture quality elements.

Setting the UHZ68LV up doesn’t reveal one of those clever full auto-image optimisation systems we’re starting to see on most of the more obviously portable/convenience-based projectors these days. Optoma does, though, provide a decent array of manual set-up aids, including 1.6x optical zoom, four-corner correction, and adjustments for optical horizontal and vertical image shifting housed under a pop-up flap on the projector’s top edge.

The UHZ68LV doesn’t carry any built-in smart features, but further underlining its home cinema focus, it does carry both a Filmmaker Mode image preset and support for full ISF calibration.

Its connectivity is mostly excellent, headed up as it is by three HDMIs rather than the two that most projectors stop at. All of these HDMIs support eARC audio, including the ability to pass-through Dolby Atmos sound to a connected soundbar or AVR, and one of them is a 2.1 port capable of handling 4K/120Hz game feeds.

There are also a pair of powered USB ports; optical digital audio and 3.5mm audio line outs; a 3D Synch jack for adding an optional 3D transmitter if you’re still into watching stuff in the third dimension; as well as RJ45, RS-232C and two 12V trigger ports for integrating the projector into a home control network.

While there’s no support for VRR or Dolby Vision HDR at anything higher than 60Hz refresh rates, the UHZ68LV does carry a low-latency mode for gaming with all sources, including Dolby Vision.

In fact, it provides both Low Latency and Ultra Low Latency options. The ultra low latency option turns off the aspect ratio, Edge Mask, Digital Zoom, Image Shift and Geometric Correction set-up features, on top of the various processing features already turned off by the basic Low Latency setting. In Low latency mode, input lag measures 34.7ms at 60Hz, while in Ultra Low Latency mode, this drops to an extremely speedy (for projectors) 17.8ms.

Picture

Unfortunately, no amount of picture adjustments or promising tech specs can save the UHZ68LV from a couple of pretty major picture-quality shortcomings.

First and worst, as we’d feared might be the case, the projector’s huge brightness comes at the expense of the sort of contrast and black levels during dark scenes we now like to see from a projector with such seemingly serious home cinema ambitions.

Dark scenes look routinely washed out and grey, especially using the 100 per cent power option that’s the default across all picture presets when the projector is receiving HDR content. In fact, as well as the greyness leaving dark scenes looking generally unconvincing and uncinematic, it’s potent enough to cause subtle shadow details to become lost in the general cloudiness, robbing the image of depth and texture.

The other major issue with the UHZ68LV’s pictures, again at least partly related to its extreme brightness, is the DLP rainbow effect. This finds stripes of pure red, green and blue flitting over bright highlights, and while susceptibility to seeing it can vary from person to person, in the UHZ68LV’s case, everyone on the What Hi-Fi? team who watched the projector for any amount of time commented on how obvious and distracting the issue was with HDR sources.

Both the washed-out black levels and, to a lesser extent, the rainbowing problems can have their impact reduced by shifting away from the default 100 per cent Brightness HDR setting and choosing one of the three provided Dynamic Black light output settings instead. All three Dynamic Black options significantly dim HDR images down, though, so that even the gentlest Dynamic Black 1 option ends up denying you a substantial amount of the brightness that you were probably excited about when you bought the projector.

The darkest Dynamic Black 3 option takes so much light out of the picture that it leaves dark scenes almost unwatchable. As does the Dolby Vision Dark option that becomes available with Dolby Vision sources.

Trying to improve black levels by simply reducing the UHZ68LV’s brightness setting doesn’t really work; all that happens is that you get the same greyness but with less visible picture detail. This proves that the UHZ68LV’s black level limitations are pretty deeply ‘baked in’, rather than just something you can fix in the settings.

While the Dynamic Black 1 option is probably your best bet with HDR10 sources, its automatic brightness optimisation system can introduce a touch of instability into dark scenes as it struggles to settle on the optimal light level for a particular shot. This is a pretty mild issue in truth, though – and it isn’t accompanied by any distracting hyperactivity from the built-in cooling fans.

In fact, we can start the good news part of the UHZ68LV’s performance by saying that it runs remarkably quietly by any projector standards, never mind one capable of pumping out 5000 lumens.

That brightness makes its presence felt with bright HDR content as you would hope, delivering it with more impact and punch than the vast majority of projectors sold at the happy side of £5000 / $5000 manage.

This brightness also unlocks some formidable colour vibrancy and volume for the projector world, and while tones (especially skin tones) during dark scenes don’t always look totally natural, there’s enough subtlety in the overall colour presentation to prevent pictures feeling flat and cartoonish. Unless you’re actually watching a cartoon, of course.

The UHZ68LV’s expressive colours help bright HDR scenes look reasonably sharp and detailed, too. Not quite class-leadingingly so, but enough to ensure that 4K pictures don’t look soft or coarse.

One reason, perhaps, that the UHZ68LV’s pictures only enjoy good rather than emphatic sharpness and detail is that motion with 24fps movies feels a little uncomfortable. Judder is quite strong by projector standards with no motion processing in play, yet while the lowest power option of the provided PureMotion processing can take the edge off this judder, the results can look a little processed and unnatural, as well as suffering from a slight stuttering effect.

Having slipped back in to finding niggles with the UHZ68LV’s pictures, one last quirk that rather undermines one of the projector’s most appealing on-paper attractions is that it consistently delivers better picture quality with relatively basic HDR10 sources than it does with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision sources.

HDR10+ pictures look more washed out in dark scenes, with seemingly less you can do to try and remedy the situation, while the Dolby Vision Bright and Dark presets are affected by a strange green tone – as well as the Dark setting going so dark that the picture almost disappears during dark scenes. Setting the Dynamic Black setting to level 1 reduces this green tone issue with Dolby Vision Bright mode, but again, only at the expense of more brightness than we’d have liked.

Letting us finish this section on a positive note, the UHZ68LV’s punchy approach to pictures and speedy response times make it quite an enjoyable king-sized gaming display, especially with 120Hz titles, and its pictures actually adapt a bit better to SDR playback than we might have expected for a projector so clearly built with HDR in mind.

Sound

Despite its substantial size, the UHZ68LV can’t produce sound that is in any way comparable to the scale of its pictures.

In fact, its sound is so small and quiet, even at maximum volume, that at times you can barely make out even quite key elements in a movie mix. The sound struggles to escape from the projector’s bodywork, too, leaving everything trapped inside and very distant from the onscreen action.

The speakers do at least seem to be working well within their capabilities, meaning there’s no sign of distortion or brittleness in what little sound they produce. In fact, there’s quite a pleasantly rounded tone, with even a hint of bass creeping into play from time to time.

Overall, though, the UHZ68LV’s sound is just so small for such a big and bright projector that we couldn’t help but wonder if it was really worth including it.

Verdict

It’s easy to admire Optoma’s ambition with the UHZ68LV. Pushing brightness to the HDR-friendly extremes it does and, especially, supporting all of the current HDR formats so that the projector can always take in the best version of any source are both signs of a brand keen to embrace the next generation of picture quality, no matter how hard that might be.

It’s just a shame that the UHZ68LV’s push for HDR glory hasn’t been joined by more of the picture balance that really brings cinema home.

SCORES

• Picture 3
• Sound 2
• Features 5

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The Samsung HW-Q990D might not be the brand's newest soundbar package since the Q990F hit the shelves, but it's still one of the best soundbars we've tested. And, it's a heck of a lot cheaper, which is a win-win.

For just £749 at Amazon, as opposed to the £1599 you'd part with for the Q990F, it's not the lowest price we've ever seen with a brief jaunt at £699 at Crampton and Moore, but it's still very tempting.

What you get for your money is a five-star package and What Hi-Fi? Award winner, which combines a Dolby Atmos soundbar, dual wireless surround speakers and a wireless subwoofer.

The offering is huge. We're talking an 11.1.4-channel system, with 22 drivers in total. The bar itself features six elliptical midrange drivers, three tweeters that fire forwards, four side-firing drivers and two up-firers.

And that's before we even discuss the surround speakers with one forward-, one side- and one up-firing driver, and the subwoofer with its 20cm driver. Phew.

If that wasn't enough, you have two 2.1 HDMI inputs, which fully support advanced gaming features such as 4K/120Hz, VRR and ALLM.

There are also streaming smarts built-in, including Bluetooth 5.0, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music and Deezer.

In our Samsung Q990D review, we said, "If you want something approaching ‘proper’ Atmos sound without buying an AV amplifier and twelve individual speakers, it has to be on your shortlist."

It delivers a dynamic, weighty and detailed sound and fills your room with entertaining and immersive 3D audio.

For £749 at Amazon, you're guaranteed to get plenty of bangs and crashes for your buck...

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Read our full Samsung HW-Q990D review

Our pick of the best soundbars you can buy for every budget

Dolby Atmos: what is it? How can you get it?

With Disney Plus and Netflix rapidly becoming the norm for more and more households, it can seem like discs are being left in the dust as our primary means to watch films at home.

This battle between physical and digital media has been weighing on our minds this Home Cinema Week, so we wanted to hear from our lovely readers to settle the score.

Earlier this week, we asked how you watch your favourite movies and TV shows at home. After three days of reading through and compiling your thoughts, here are the results.

You still collect plenty of discs for their better overall quality

As the responses rolled in, it quickly became apparent that your DVD and Blu-ray collections are not going anywhere.

We put out an Instagram poll to see whether streaming or discs would come out on top, and the results were pretty clear.

Out of 60 responses, 43 of you said that discs were your preferred way to watch. There were 12 readers who preferred streaming, though, and the remaining five were on the fence.

A lot of you seem to want to own your most precious movies in a physical form, too. Gregory Pempleton commented via our website:

“When I buy a disc, I know that it is mine, unlike streaming, where the item can disappear at the whim of the provider.”

This sentiment was echoed by many other responders. Eugène de Goeij commented on our original article:

“I watched Dune on Apple TV (bought it), but I liked it so much I bought the 4K disc. The image is a bit more crisp and there are more subtle details in the sound [...] For me, a good movie will always make me buy the 4K disc.”

But streaming is becoming an easier option

Despite this chorus of support for discs, there were still plenty of fans of streaming.

Mark Greenley said that while he buys 4K Blu-ray discs for those "special" films, streaming services have become more common in his household for daily viewing.

“I like streaming and I am signed up to several platforms. As a family, we watch shows and films,” he said.

Some of you also stream movies due to the better availability. For example, Micky Alexandru pointed out via our website that, “there are movies that can't be found [anywhere] but on streaming services.”

What we think

Even though there is quite the range of opinions when it comes to this head-to-head, we agree with our readers that discs tend to outperform streaming when it comes to sound and picture quality.

Because of this, it makes sense to collect firm favourites in the best quality possible. Plus, holding a disc in your hands and knowing you can watch it whenever you want, without worrying if it will be taken off a service, certainly feels like money well spent.

It would be silly to pretend that streaming hasn't simply become easier to access, though.

With most home cinema kit offering built-in streaming services, the option of clicking a few buttons and having instant access to a library of content is very appealing. Also, streaming gives you the opportunity to cancel your subscription anytime if you feel you don’t use it enough.

Still, it is reassuring to see that buying top-quality discs is important for home cinema fans.

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Check out the best streaming devices

How to optimise your 4K TV settings for Blu-ray, DVD and TV viewing

For more than a decade, video streamers have done the AV gods’ work, giving TV watchers and movie fans an easy and affordable way to bless their TV with access to the latest video streaming services and technologies.

In doing so, they’ve made ‘dumb’ TVs (those without network connectivity) smart, and filled the gaps in the streaming service app offerings of smart TVs.

But in 2025, are even the best streaming devices still relevant?

After all, almost all of the TVs launched in recent years are powered by a smart streaming platform – Samsung uses Tizen, LG developed its own webOS, and Google TV is found in Sony, Philips and TCL sets.

And nowadays these platforms tend to be increasingly sophisticated with few (if any!) gaps. So why would you want to buy a separate, dedicated streamer?

Well, they still do have their uses, hence why Amazon, Apple, Google and Roku – the major players in the game – are still pumping out new models.

Indeed, Google went as far as rebranding its device, moving away from the iconic Chromecast label, when it released the Google TV Streamer earlier this year; Apple is expected to launch a new TV 4K streamer by the end of the year; and Amazon and Roku have as many as four streaming players in each of their current lineups.

Streaming devices > smart TVs

Firstly, while holes in TV offerings are generally closing, app and technology support isn’t consistent across them all, and some do remain.

Not every platform has the Apple TV+ app and AirPlay functionality, for one – a bit of a bummer for users of iOS devices and Apple’s video service, perhaps. And while the premium models from the bigger TV manufacturers nowadays pretty much tick every expected box, it isn’t unusual to come across a TV elsewhere that misses something.

For example, we noted in our 2025 TCL C855K review that “UK catch-up services are limited and the TV doesn’t have Freely or dedicated apps for BBC iPlayer and the like,” while, more bizarrely, the Netflix app on the ​​Sony Bravia 8 II we reviewed last month appeared to top out at 5.1 audio rather than Dolby Atmos.

Secondly, older smart TVs that still have many years of servicing their owners left may not support the latest technologies – the version of the Netlflix app supporting Dolby Atmos, say – or could have even lost app support due to a manufacturer simply ending support or losing a partnership with a service provider. A new streamer with all the modern-day bells and whistles could plug that gap.

Thirdly and finally, you have the boost in picture and sound performance that a video streamer generally brings over a TV’s built-in apps, although differences naturally depend on the quality of the streaming device as well as the TV you own.

That makes sense when you consider that the processing is done in a dedicated device that, unlike a TV, doesn’t have to juggle a multitude of other tasks.

It also tends to be the case that video streamer manufacturers will put more effort into ensuring the audio and video quality is sound.

The premium Apple TV 4K, for example, delivers a clear improvement, with Apple having tuned the sound to be notably rich and detailed. The Apple box can also detect the frame rate and dynamic range of the content you’re watching on it – HDR10 in 60Hz, say – and force your TV into the best mode to deliver that.

Is it enough to secure their future?

OK, so you have generally better picture and sound than you would get via a TV’s app integration – marginal in some cases, more significant in others. And then a hole-plugging role for certain TVs. Is that it?

In a word, yes. Today, streamers are clearly still relevant for the right – arguably niche – consumer and set-up. But for how long?

TV manufacturers are increasingly partnering with specialist streaming platforms to power their smart user experience for comprehensive and consistent offerings. Amazon’s Fire OS, for example, is now baked into the company’s Omni-series QLED and Mini LED TVs, as well as (from 2024) Panasonic’s OLED TVs.

And, in line with the natural evolution of progress, you would hope that any remaining gaps on such platforms, and those in other smart TV operating systems, will close in the near future, shunting streaming devices even closer to the sidelines.

The Apple TV 4K box is a bit of an outlier with its unique performance gains, access to iTunes Movies and support of spatial audio – all things you pay a premium for, of course, with the box costing £149 / $130 / AU$219.

But the sell for Roku, Amazon and Google may become tougher, despite their kinder price tags. Google perhaps recognises this, hence why it has positioned its latest streamer as a more premium proposition.

Indeed, it has hiked up the price to £99 / $100 / AU$160 and attempted to justify that by transitioning it from a dongle to a box and expanding its traditional streaming duties with ever-advancing AI functionality, plus a whole lot of smart home features thanks to the inclusion of both Matter and Thread – which, as we note in our review, is “a boon for those who have invested in smart plugs, lightbulbs and doorbells”.

Again, handy for the right customer – but for the mainstream market, who probably has all or most of what they need in their TV, or can get it more affordably elsewhere?

As the popularity of single-bar soundbars and one-box speakers shows, the consumer electronics world is riding the ‘less (fewer) is more’ approach when it comes to device count, and the expected continued evolution of smart TV integration could seriously threaten their future relevancy and, consequently, existence.

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Best streaming devices 2025: smart TV sticks and boxes chosen by our experts

Welcome to What Hi-Fi?’s Home Cinema Week! Read our AV-tastic news, features and reviews

After hours of measuring, I have come to the conclusion that full-fat Dolby Atmos doesn't work in normal homes

Anyone who has even passed through London’s Brick Lane knows just how hectic and overstimulating it can be. With vendors standing outside restaurants tempting you to enter with juicy deals, and Lime bikes requiring you to dodge around like a game of Subway Surfers, it can sometimes feel like too much.

But I have recently discovered a tucked-away gem that I am more than happy to brave the bustling journey for.

Enter Close-Up Film Centre, home to a small but cosy cinema screen and a relaxed bar space. Oh, and it also has the biggest collection of DVDs I have seen in a cinema.

It claims to house over 26,000 films, books and digital media entries. These span across various generations, genres and regions to provide a feast of entertainment. You can also rent out the discs for a couple of quid to enjoy at home.

I recently had half an hour to kill in the area, so I decided to pop in for the first time to have a proper peruse of what discs are on offer. Let’s just say I was engrossed to the point of being late to meet my friend.

There’s just so much to enjoy here as a film fan and general cinema nerd. I found a copy of one of Taika Waititi’s early movies that I hadn't seen before, Eagle vs Shark, which features a fresh-faced Jemaine Clement.

Shuffling along to the excellently curated animation category, I also came across a collection of Lotte Reiniger’s short films. Although not a household name, she is quite the celebrity for animation fanatics as she created the first feature-length animated film more than ten years before Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was released.

It felt pretty neat to see her work up on the shelves, and it really felt like there was something for everyone in the Close-Up collection, from new mainstream releases to arthouse films from the forties.

Where I, like most people, find myself looking for what to watch on a screen rather than physically looking through discs, this detox felt oddly therapeutic.

No ads were pushing me to go for a certain film, and I wasn’t influenced by an algorithm feeding me suggestions based on what I usually watch.

While the cinema itself is relatively small, the 40-seater also offers a variety of different movies to enjoy. Rather than focusing on new releases, Close-Up often looks back at older releases that have helped to shape the cinematic landscape today.

The filmography of Austrian director Michael Haneke, for example, was recently put in the spotlight with screenings of some of his most well-known films, such as The White Ribbon and Caché.

This combination of an excellent archive and niche movies being unearthed on the big screen makes for such a special experience, especially considering the difficulties independent cinemas are facing at the moment.

So, if you find yourself wandering the length of Brick Lane and aren't sure where to begin, Close-Up could well provide a much-needed refuge.

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Having the right theme song is crucial for any TV show. It's the thing that you instantly recognise and associate with the series forever. Take The Addams Family's double snap, The X Files' spooky synth-whistle, and the deep cello of the Game of Thrones orchestral theme.

While there are plenty of catchy theme tunes that are written specifically for the show, there are certain series that use an already existing song to set the tone and mood for the forthcoming content.

Below are the best TV opening-credit songs that are great songs in their own right – and firm fixtures in our test track playlists. Crucially, each is also intrinsically linked with the TV show it is soundtracking. These are songs that grab your attention and put you in the perfect mood from the second the opening titles kick off.

So whether your TV audio set-up uses a 2.1 stereo system, a soundbar package or a fully Dolby Atmos surround sound system, these are the greatest TV title songs that you'll never want to skip.

Peaky Blinders: Red Right Hand by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds

Never has a title song set the tone for a TV show more perfectly than the sublime combination of Red Right Hand and Peaky Blinders.

The BBC crime drama was already highly anticipated because of its topic (a period crime drama set in Birmingham in the post-WWI era) and with the incomparable Cillian Murphy as the lead in a terrific ensemble cast.

But all it took was the familiar sound of that initial tubular bell, the deep bass riff and Nick Cave's majestic, brooding vocals in the first few seconds, and I was, like countless others, immediately hooked – and I knew we were on to something great.

The song is about a mysterious, shadowy figure who strikes "a combination of fear and awe everywhere he goes" – an apt juxtaposition when it plays over our first glimpses of Thomas Shelby, following him as he rides on a horse across the city like he owns it in the first minutes of the very first episode. Watch the scene in the video above – it will still give you chills.

The song and visuals tell you everything you need to know about the man before we even know his name or who he is, as we see people react to him with respect, both as a figure of (violent) power and someone who will genuinely help those in need.

Peaky Blinders' soundtrack is littered with anachronistic songs that continue to strike a tone of sheer coolness (there's a lot of Cave, PJ Harvey, Arctic Monkeys and The White Stripes in the first three seasons alone), but Red Right Hand as the title track was a stroke of pure genius.

The Wire: Way Down In The Hole by The Blind Boys of Alabama

From one crime drama to another, The Wire's title track across its five seasons is unusual in that it's the same song but covered by various artists.

The title song is 1987's Way Down In The Hole by Tom Waits (another one of those great songwriters and voices that we love alongside Cave). In the first season of The Wire, though, it is a cover by The Blind Boys of Alabama that starts the now-iconic show off.

Tom Waits' version is used for the second season, and we are treated to his customary gruffer, more gravelly and wailing vocals. But the smoother gospel tone of The Blind Boys of Alabama's cover is just that bit more textured and nuanced – and more soulful.

We also have a soft spot for the season four version sung by DoMaJe, a group made of five Baltimore teenagers, which offers a more R'n'B flavour.

It's rare to outshine Waits on any of his songs, but The Blind Boys do a terrific job in setting the tone for the institutions and incredible characters we meet across Baltimore in one of the greatest TV shows of all time.

House, M.D.: Teardrop by Massive Attack

Massive Attack is a staple in our test track repertoire – we use Paradise Circus, Angel and Teardrop regularly when we test hi-fi and home cinema kit. Not only that, the Bristol-based band is one of the most experimental and collaborative musical acts, and it continues to be revered today.

So medical drama House having Teardrop as its theme song is quite the coup.

That steady beat (which we can pretend mimics a heartbeat), the use of a harpsichord, the ethereal vocals of Elizabeth Fraser (of the Cocteau Twins) – it all works elegantly with House's clinical, cerebral, Sherlockian character and overall theme.

Those crisply textured crunches and the open, airy soundstage sound a treat in any system (whether two-channel, or five, or seven), while that repeating beat needs a system that has an iron-clad and precise hold of its rhythmic prowess.

It's a shame that the song's rights haven't been cleared for streaming, as you usually hear the music used in the closing credits instead of Teardrop when watching the show on Amazon Prime Video, for instance. (We recommend you get the Blu-ray boxset instead for the full experience, obviously).

True Blood: Bad Things by Jace Everett

Here's another example of great visuals and a great song choice for a TV title track that really leans into the show's setting and enhances it.

A vampire show set in Louisiana, True Blood offers a different texture and flavour to the horror fantasy genre just by being set in the South, not to mention taking full advantage of being able to tackle (and show) adult themes thanks to being on HBO.

Bad Things by American country singer Jace Everett even feels humid and sticky. There's a gorgeous fullness to the guitar riffs that evoke rockabilly and Americana, Everett's vocals are all southern charm, while the overall tone is just a little sleazy, a little sexy, and very louche.

Veronica Mars: We Used To Be Friends by The Dandy Warhols

There are plenty of teen dramas and comedies from the 1990s and 2000s that use existing songs, usually from some alt-rock band or pop artist, as their theme song. There's Scrubs, Smallville, Dawson's Creek, The O.C., Roswell and more – you can probably sing out the key bit of their theme songs easily. But none of them had anyone as cool as The Dandy Warhols.

Veronica Mars stood out from the teen-drama crowd with its neo-noir style and case-of-the-week and series-spanning murder mysteries. The dialogue is whip-smart, with Kristen Bell as the title character reeling off hard-boiled narration and arch sarcasm with so much ease.

The tone is slightly darker than your average California teen show, so to go with that, it made complete sense to pick a left-field theme song that fits it just as well.

We Used To Be Friends has the big riffs and melodic chorus sitting alongside moodier, grungier garage-rock tones and contrasting wild psychedelic beats that are distinctly Warhols. A great song in its own right, too.

BBC Formula 1 coverage: The Chain by Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac's The Chain is one of the all-time greats. Released on the band's 1977 Rumours album (one of the best records of all time, a staple in any music and hi-fi fan's collection), it's a classic track that will stand the test of time, referencing the turbulent breakup between band members Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham.

In the UK, The Chain is synonymous with the BBC's Formula 1 racing coverage. The instrumental outro of the song – kicked off by that now-iconic solo bassline – was used throughout the Beeb's Grand Prix coverage from 1978 to 1997, always ending with the cheery tones of the late, great commentator Murray Walker getting us revved up for the race ahead.

The song was revived when BBC regained the rights to broadcast F1 in 2009 – with that bassline once more signifying the start of the racing weekend, both for old-timers and a whole new generation of F1 fans. Channel 4 briefly adopted the theme in 2016, when once again broadcast rights changed hands. Sadly, today's dominant Sky's F1 coverage in the UK doesn't use the track.

Still, The Chain's power hasn't diminished, and it remains part of F1's legacy worldwide. The Hollywood blockbuster F1: The Movie, currently showing in cinemas, used the song in the trailer. The track itself remains part of our test tracks library – with powerful vocals and furious whining guitars, it perfectly encapsulates the magic of Fleetwood Mac.

When learning that the BBC would be bringing back Fleetwood Mac's The Chain as part of the 2009 coverage, Murray Walker said to The Telegraph he was delighted, because: "Every time I hear that music, I get butterflies. Because I know that when it stops, I start."

The Sopranos: Woke Up This Morning by Alabama 3

It's not only one of the most acclaimed and groundbreaking TV shows of all time, The Sopranos is also credited for kicking off the current era of "prestige TV", or the "golden age" of TV.

Often tangling with The Wire as the top choice in everyone's greatest TV show lists, it paved the way for shows such as The Shield, Six Feet Under, Breaking Bad, Ray Donovan, and Peaky Blinders, delving deeper into flawed characters like never before, portraying the realities of society, relationships, mental health and life in general – with, of course, bouts of unflinching violence.

Instead of the glitz and glamour of mob films such as Goodfellas, Casino or The Godfather, the show dealt with the more day-to-day life of Tony Soprano and his family. The opening sequence to every episode of The Sopranos is pretty mundane: James Gandolfini's Tony driving through the New Jersey turnpike, with glimpses of the city and neighbourhood around him as he drives home.

Soundtracking that drive is Woke Up This Morning by Alabama 3 – blending squelchy acid house electronic noises with moodier, deeper tones of trip-hop, blues and a gospel choir. (Sound familiar? It could easily form a trio of the greatest TV title songs of all time with The Wire's Down In The Hole and Peaky Blinders' Red Right Hand.)

Alabama 3 (who are from Brixton and not remotely American) laid down the blueprint for just how important it was for a title song to establish the tone of a prestige TV drama.

MobLand: Starburster by Fontaines D.C.

What is it with mob dramas and great title songs? 2025's MobLand keeps things current and fresh by taking a different approach with its title song compared with the others on this list.

Irish post-punk/indie-rock band Fontaines D.C. are enjoying huge success and acclaim thanks to their fantastic fourth album, 2024's Romance, with Starburster a standout track.

It's an explosive mix of trip/hip-hop, synth and art-rock, with a brash attitude. That deep intake of breath that punctuates the chorus, signifies a panic attack that frontman Grian Chatten suffered, and that forms the basis of the song.

This song's vibe and structure tie in brilliantly with the chaotic and stressful nature of dealing with the Harrigan crime family in the show, who are also Irish (another nice tie-in with Fontaines D.C.) – and it's an instant earworm.

MORE:

7 songs we have been enjoying in our test rooms over the past month

6 ways to get near-perfect Dolby Atmos sound in an imperfect room

Check out all our Home Cinema Week 2025 coverage

The Canvas HiFi is a home cinema anomaly. Is it a soundbar? Sort of. Is it a two-channel hi-fi system? Yes, but also no. It’s actually easier to affirm what the Canvas isn’t.

It’s not a Dolby Atmos soundbar, which might surprise you, considering it's designed to attach to your TV to produce cinematic sound.

It’s also not really a soundbar at all if we’re speaking in the traditional sense, as it’s designed for your TV to be mounted directly onto it.

While that might be a dealbreaker for some, especially the mainstream crowd, we find that this oddity in the world of home cinema audio is rather charming.

It also teaches us an important lesson: you don’t need a shedload of processing to create a cinematic sound experience.

Price

We have Canvas HiFi's Canvas 65 model, which is officially priced at a rather ambitious £2899 / $4999 / AU$5999. This is, unquestionably, a premium product, and the price tag should confirm that.

If you’re after a Canvas to fit your 55-inch TV, then you can expect to pay the same price, though owners of a 77-inch TV should expect to cough up £2999. Those lucky enough to have an 83-inch TV, meanwhile, will need to fork out a whopping £3299.

It’s worth noting that the speaker system itself is the same size regardless; however, the grilles are different sizes to match your TV.

That means if you upgrade from a 55-inch TV to a 65- or 77-inch TV, you won't need to replace your whole system. Instead, just grab a new grille and everything will match up smoothly.

If you’re looking for competition in this price range, you’ll need to skip the usual soundbar suspects – such as Sonos, Sony and Samsung – and set your sights a little higher towards the likes of Bang & Olufsen’s £2300 Beosound Stage. We haven’t reviewed it, but its design-centric, premium standing aligns with the Canvas in some ways.

For a more conventional soundbar solution, the Sennheiser Ambeo Max is your best bet. That beast of a bar generally retails for £2199, however, it’s been on the market for a handful of years, so you’ll find it for closer to £1999.

Loose comparisons aside, it’s hard to directly relate the Canvas to anything in the soundbar category. In truth, it feels more closely related to a set of stereo speakers, though that involves pricing up an amplifier, plus having trailing cables and dealing with a lengthy set-up process.

Build

While the design of any soundbar is an important factor, arguably it’s a bigger deal when it comes to the Canvas Hifi, as it serves as a stylish companion to your TV while also upgrading the sound.

We have the Canvas set up in the floorstanding orientation, with a Sony Bravia 8 OLED TV affixed to the top, and can confirm that this duo looks rather suave. It creates a monolithic, freestanding look, with the included black fabric grille creating a seamless all-in-one aesthetic.

There are a couple of things to note, however. Set-up is quite involved, with multiple boxes and an Ikea-style guide that gets the job done, but could be more descriptive.

The guides to get your TV into position without leaving a gap are more like suggestions, but we managed to get the Canvas set up properly after a small amount of trial and error.

Note, you will certainly need at least two people to set the Canvas up, and we can’t comment on the wall-mounting process, though the parts required for that are included in the box.

Also included with the Canvas HiFi is a basic black fabric cover, which can be affixed easily thanks to magnets. Other fascias are available, and we gravitate towards a stunning light oak panel, which features a slatted wooden design.

Be warned, though, that these additional covers are extraordinarily pricey, with that aforementioned wooden option costing a cool £1199. Fabric grilles, on the other hand, will run you £499, though these prices increase in relation to the size of your TV.

There are a couple of other niggles we have with the Canvas’ design.

First and foremost, the cubbyhole for the power and HDMI sockets is a bit too small, meaning plugging the system in can be a bit awkward, especially if you have a rigid HDMI cable.

Furthermore, the free-standing set-up does mean that the TV leans backwards slightly, as the feet on the bottom of the system are designed to angle the sound upwards.

We get that this has been done for the sake of sound performance, but be wary of placing your Canvas HiFi and TV in a place with either lots of ambient light or right under an indoor light, as the angle can result in noticeable reflections on your screen.

Features

Here is where we’d usually list an exhaustive reel of features, including sound formats, calibration settings and the like. However, the Canvas HiFi is a surprising subversion of the premium soundbar market, as it doesn’t have quite so many gimmicks attached.

Let's start with the most important feature: the drivers. They’re hard to miss with the front cover detached, as they dwarf anything seen in the likes of the Sonos Arc Ultra or even the behemoth that is the Sennheiser Ambeo Max.

Within the MDF cabinet, which is supported by Canvas’s patented BridgeBrace technology for extra rigidity, you’ll find three pairs of drivers, all provided by high-end driver manufacturer SB Acoustics.

There is a pair of 16.5cm paper cone mid/bass drivers housed in die-cast aluminium chassis, dual 29mm silk dome tweeters with aluminium front plate waveguides, and, last but not least, a pair of low-loss, high precision passive radiators.

Powering these beefy speaker units are quad Class D amplifiers pumping out 250W of power each; that’s a total of 1000W of amplification. These are paired with Burr-Brown DACs, which support up to 24-Bit/192kHz digital signals.

The Canvas HiFi, therefore, rightfully takes the title of “most hi-fi soundbar to enter our testing room”; the clue is in the title, we suppose.

While the sheer magnitude of the drivers and amplification is undoubtedly rather impressive, the software is where the Canvas is let down slightly.

Frustratingly, there is no remote in the box; not the end of the world, as HDMI CEC handles volume adjustment, but to access the other inputs and calibration settings, you’ll need to use the Canvas app on a smartphone.

Specifically, an iPhone, if we’re being honest, as, while an Android app does exist, it’s borderline unusable. Room correction only works with an iPhone’s built-in microphone, and the wi-fi set-up crashed repeatedly on our Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Switching to an iPhone 16, we had less trouble setting the system up, but we wouldn’t call the app smooth.

Canvas does have an app update launching in the near future, which hopefully will clear some things up. Saying that, the current state of the app, which is required for a lot of the Canvas HiFi’s functions, is in a bit of a sorry state.

It does allow for a handful of basic functions, including a basic room correction feature (more on that in the sound section), as well as a way to turn the Bacch 3D sound processing – the only audio processing option on offer – on and off. You can still calibrate the system with an optional Zen microphone, although it's a substantial accessory, cost-wise.

Thankfully, for playing music, you can bypass the Canvas app and cast directly to the bar with Google Cast, Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and Roon. Canvas also says it can be integrated into a range of multi-room set-ups from companies such as Sonos, Bose, HEOS and more via the optical Toslink connection.

Sound

The Canvas’ proposition, if it wasn’t clear by now, is all about offering a hi-fi-level cinematic sound. So does it deliver on this promise? We certainly think so.

We’ve paired the Canvas HiFi with our Sony Bravia 8 reference TV, our Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, as well as a range of reference discs including Dune: Part Two, Civil War and Blade Runner 2049.

Before we get stuck into sound performance, we should discuss our preferred settings, as although there aren’t many to choose from, we do make an immediate discovery.

To our ears, the Canvas sounds best with room correction and Bacch 3D processing switched off; this sort of makes sense when we remember that it's a stereo product.

One setting we do switch on, however, is the HDMI volume boost feature. Without it, the Canvas sounds quiet, and needs to be turned up to quite a high volume in order to reach its full potential.

When turned up too high, it can sound strained, so this feature helps to level things out by introducing a 10dB volume boost, allowing the Canvas to deliver punchy, cinematic audio without losing nuance or focus.

It’s designed to compensate for lower volume outputs from built-in streaming apps. However, we find it improves the experience across the board.

Leaving the Canvas HiFi in its natural state, we’re immediately floored by how crisp and natural it sounds. Detail levels are exceptional, with the clattering of helicopter blades in Civil War sounding textured and precise.

Voices are another highlight, as the conversation between Officer K and Joi in the bleak sci-fi apartment in Blade Runner 2049 sounds wonderfully authentic and emotive, and they’re underpinned with a richness that makes them sound genuinely lifelike.

Where the Canvas HiFi truly excels, however, is with low-end punch.

Bass is presented with a level of weight that you could liken to an external subwoofer; it’s deep, rich and nicely controlled. This is evidenced in the bass-heavy Harkonnen arena fight in Dune: Part Two, which is presented with plenty of low-frequency heft, meaning the scene is conveyed with ample drama.

We appreciate how direct and clear the Canvas sounds, as it doesn’t try to add anything with processing. Dolby Atmos is great when implemented correctly, but the simplicity and focus on pure audio quality are where the Canvas shines.

It’s also skilled with music, as evidenced with a handful of tracks that we play through the Canvas, including Churchyard by Aurora and Bloom, Baby Bloom by Wolf Alice. Timing is handled very well, and the naturalness of voices and instruments does an excellent job of replicating the music with texture and detail.

There is, however, one sticking point that just holds the Canvas HiFi back from true greatness. Its handling of dynamics is, unfortunately, not quite good enough. Scenes and tracks with big moments of impact or dynamic shifts lack the crescendos that we look for in products such as this.

The Canvas has no trouble building up a moment of suspense or a verse that is about to enter a bombastic chorus, but it never quite hits the peak, resulting in a slightly weak pay-off.

It’s a shame, as the clarity, detail levels and the sheer weight of the sound make for an otherwise thoroughly engaging sound.

We also find that the included black fabric grille can rattle in scenes with heavy bass. This might be due to the lightweight acoustic cloth used in conjunction with the lightweight design and magnetic connection. It introduces what sounds like distortion, but removing the standard grille negates this issue.

Trying the heavier wooden fascia fixes this issue, though spending £1299 to fix an issue isn’t exactly an ideal scenario.

Verdict

The Canvas is a prime example of niche, audiophile gear straying away from the exclusive world of hi-fi and into the realm of home cinema.

We’ll admit, we had some prejudices when we found that this pricey sound system didn’t support some of the most commonplace cinematic audio features, but those notions were quickly dispelled.

Its clear, detailed and weighty sound is supremely cinematic, and even though it doesn’t quite deliver the goods where dynamics are concerned, we find that there’s lots to like here.

Sometimes, simplicity is a pro in itself, so if you want a straightforward and effective stereo upgrade for your TV, all in a stylish package, then this quirky speaker system is certainly worth a look.

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Build 4
• Features 3

MORE:

Read our review of the Sennheiser Ambeo Max

Also consider the Sonos Arc Ultra

Read our Sony Theatre Bar 9 review

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

Amazon Prime Day is next week, which means deals on purchases big and small. A TV is usually one of the former, but if you don't have a lot to spend, fear not, you do have options.

Now obviously these models aren't among the best TVs you can buy. They're small, with high definition resolutions rather than 4K, and they lack the more sophisticated features of their pricier alternatives.

But do their job very well indeed, and deliver an immense amount of bang for buck while doing so. That's £100 well spent.

TCL 32SF540K best Prime Day deal

This TCL is the pricier of the two, coming in at £119. But that is still £60 cheaper than its usual price.

At 32 inches, it is also the larger of our two choices. It runs Amazon's Fire TV platform, yet comfortably outperforms – and undercuts – Amazon's own 2-Series 32-inch Fire TV.

Alexa is onboard for voice controls, which is pretty amazing at this price. And, unusually for a 32-inch model, it uses a Full HD panel (with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels). It even has Bluetooth and AirPlay 2 wireless technologies.

The picture is solid – a little unremarkable, sure, but not seriously flawed in any area. And that counts for a lot.

As we wrote in our review: "TCL's shadow detailing is well judged and, crucially, consistent, helping dark scenes look as full of depth as bright ones and contributing to a more immersive viewing experience."

It does sacrifice a little brightness compared with some rivals. But the upside is more consistently authentic colours, especially when it comes to skin tones. It's a trade off we're happy to make.

If you're looking for a smaller TV, the RCA set below is for you. At just a shade over £100, it's phenomenal value.

Best RCA Roku RK24HF1 TV Prime Day deal

The discount might be smaller, but so is the overall price. At 24 inches, it's a good size for a bedroom or kitchen, and it comes with Roku's smart TV platform, which is well organised if a little basic.

It does bring all the expected streaming apps though, as well as neat features like the ability to customise the order of your sources.

Its 1280 x 720-pixel count is lower than the TCL's above, but then the screen is smaller, so requires fewer pixels. It doesn't have as many features as the TCL, but its picture quality is surprisingly enjoyable.

It's nice and bright, which is what you need from a TV likely to be placed in a bright environment such as a kitchen. It is also impressively clear and sharp.

"The RK24HF1’s sharpness helps pictures enjoy a good sense of depth and three-dimensionality too – a talent that proves particularly useful when using RCA’s screen as a gaming display," we wrote in our review.

There you have it. It is possible to buy a decent TV for around £100. Thanks, Prime Day.

MORE:

Read the full TCL 32SF540K review

And our RCA Roku TV review

Amazon Prime Day 2025: all the deals currently live

Premium German AV brand Loewe has announced the latest addition to its luxury OLED TV lineup, and it's a spin on a TV trend we are seeing more and more these days.

Introducing the 97-inch Stellar, a new screen size for the company's existing flagship TV range. It joins the already available 42-, 48-, 55-, 65-, 77- and 83-inch versions of the Stellar, which we called "one of the most unusual TVs we've seen" when it was unveiled last year, on account of its unique concrete rear panel.

Loewe's new flagship TV is engineered and assembled at its manufacturing plant in its home town of Kronach. It has a premium aluminium chassis and brushed aluminium bezel for a stylish look and solid build.

It also features the magic.light system that launched with the Stellar. This light bar runs along the bottom edge of the TV for an ambient glow, and it can be customised with a range of different colours. Unlike Philips' Ambilight system, it does not react to what's happening on screen, but it does offer a pleasing welcome and goodbye animation.

Other design-led features include a concealed connection panel with cable management built in, and a hidden wall-mounting bracket which allows users to mount their TV flush against a wall for a sleek and modern look.

Unlike the core sizes in this range, the 97-inch Stellar does not sport a Micro Lens Array panel. Instead, it uses a 4K WOLED display – to be expected at this size. Loewe boasts of a strong relationship with LG Display, as it purchases the open-cell OLED panels in order to adjust the manufacturing process to suit its high standards.

The 97-inch Stellar is set to deliver "an exceptional visual performance with peak brightness, extraordinary contrast, and astonishing detail" with support for Dolby Vision IQ also on board.

It appears to be powered by Hisense's Vidaa smart platform, with Loewe's os9 platform running on top. It supports a wide range of streaming services, including Netflix, Disney Plus and Apple TV+, as well as cloud gaming applications such as Blacknut and Boosteroid. There is also an art mode for displaying artwork, and Loewe is proud of the customisability of this operating system.

AI is even mentioned, with AI-backed content recommendations and AI comfort features also referenced, though we're not entirely sure what they do quite yet.

As this is a premium OLED TV from Loewe, we expect a substantial price tag to match. While we don't have UK pricing quite yet, the 97-inch Stellar will be officially priced at a whopping €29,999 when it launches later this month.

Using the power of currency conversion, we make that out to be approximately £26,000 / $35,000 / AU$54,000. Better get saving.

MORE:

Read our Loewe Stellar hands-on review

As well as our picks for the best OLED TVs

And the best TVs overall

The third-generation Apple TV 4K is one of the best streaming devices around.

Yes, it has a fluid UI that makes it a doddle to use, but it's the picture and sound quality that really impress, and that earned it a What Hi-Fi? Award for three years on the trot.

But Apple isn't one to rest on its laurels. It's rumoured to have a new model in the works – and about time, considering that the current one is nearly three years old now.

So what can we expect from a fourth-gen Apple TV 4K? Let's have a look...

Release date

According to Apple, the fourth-generation Apple TV doesn't officially exist, which is no surprise. The company plays its cards very close to its chest, after all. But that's not to say there aren't some educated guesses/predictions that can be made surrounding its launch date.

Having perused the rather chaotic Apple rumour mill, all sources seem to agree that late 2025 is a likely launch window, with a release expected sometime between September and December.

With Apple's "Awe dropping" iPhone 17 launch event officially confirmed for 9 September (invites were sent out and everything), there's a strong chance we could see the new Apple TV grace the stage then – assuming it doesn't mind sharing the limelight with its iPhone 17 (and potentially AirPods Pro 3) siblings.

Priced under $100

The current Apple TV 4K costs £149 / $130 / AU$219, but could we see that price come down for the next model? One Apple analyst seems to think so...

Ming-Chi Kuo has previously predicted the device will cost under $100 as that would be the "sweet spot" for a streamer. If true, that's a rather welcome $30 drop compared to the current 64GB Apple TV 4K.

If that sounds too good to be true, there's some hope. A price drop isn't that far-fetched – while new devices often cost more than those they replace, sometimes the opposite can be true. The current Apple TV 4K actually launched at a lower price than its predecessor (which started at £169 / $179 / AU$249).

Even if Apple can't launch the new model at a lower price, it could always keep the current model on sale and discount it as a lower-specced version. It's taken the same tack with its AirPods wireless headphones and iPhone, so why not with its streamer too?

A built-in camera

Possibly the biggest change could be the addition of a built-in camera for FaceTime calls. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reckons this could also be used for gesture controls, a bit like the Xbox's doomed Kinect sensor.

Apple has flagged that FaceTime is getting some big improvements with the next version of the Apple TV operating system (tvOS 26). Improvements such as customised contact posters, live translations in more languages and notifications appearing on screen.

Currently, FaceTime on Apple TV is of niche interest. That's hardly surprising, considering that you have to use your iPhone camera and mount your phone near the TV in order to use it.

But these improvements suggest a simpler way to use FaceTime could be on the way, most probably via a built-in camera.

Same design

If you were hoping for a radical redesign, you might be disappointed. Apple is thought to be keeping the same plain black plastic body as the current model, rather than overhauling how it looks.

Some may have hoped for a streaming stick design similar to the Amazon Fire TV Stick, but the rumours say no.

Google recently abandoned its dongle approach (seen in its previous Chromecast products) with the higher-end Google TV Streamer, which suggests it thinks Apple was right all along.

Apple wants its premium Apple TV 4K to be on show, not hidden around the back of your TV, so expect the current box design to stay.

New chip

With the current Apple TV 4K being three years old, its chip is starting to feel a little dated. In fact, it features the same A15 Bionic as the iPhone 13, which was already a year old when the Apple TV 4K launched.

That makes the current Apple TV 4K's chip four years old. That's ancient, given the rate of progress.

Apple doesn't make chips specifically for the Apple TV, so it's most likely to use another iPhone processor for the next model. Again, it's unlikely to be the latest chip, but more likely the A17 Pro as seen in the iPhone 15 family.

As it's able to support hardware-accelerated ray tracing, this would enable the Apple TV 4K to run console-quality games.

But it all comes down to cost. Apple could use the newer A18 chip (from the iPhone 16), but that could push up the price of the device too much.

Even the A17 Pro could prove too costly, especially if – as rumoured – Apple is targeting a lower price for its next streamer.

Better wi-fi

A new, custom chip with support for Wi-Fi 6E is said to feature in the next Apple TV 4K. Apple has previously introduced Wi-Fi 6E support with the iPhone 15 Pro models (and entire iPhone 16 family bar the iPhone 16e), and its recent iPads and Mac computers. So it makes sense that the Apple TV is next.

This would open up the Apple TV 4K to 6GHz networks, meaning quicker downloads and smoother streaming. But you will need a router that's compatible with Wi-Fi 6E – don't expect to notice a difference otherwise.

Newer Bluetooth version

This is pretty much a given. The current model has Bluetooth 5.0, but the next model is thought to feature 5.3. That is a big improvement – bringing a more secure wireless connection and greater efficiency, among other benefits – but still not the latest version.

Some recent devices – such as the Sonos Ace – feature Bluetooth 5.4, and some really niche ones even have Bluetooth 6.0 (though none are available on these shores yet). But as we say, version 5.3 will still be an improvement on the current model.

In fact, as with the updated Wi-Fi, the Bluetooth chip in the upcoming Apple TV is rumoured to be part of Apple's first proprietary chip design.

We expect to see some potential improvements when it comes to integration and syncing across Apple's smart home ecosystem. And yes, that could potentially include the rumoured new Apple HomePod Mini 2.

MORE:

Bluetooth 6.0: everything you need to know

Check out the best streaming services for movies and TV

Can't decide? Amazon Fire TV Cube vs Apple TV 4K

If we were to recommend just one TV, then it would have to be the LG C4. It's bright and powerful, and it has a gorgeous premium feel. It's also on sale right now for only £699.

But if that's outside of your budget, then the LG B4 is also a fantastic telly, and you can pick the 48-inch model up for just £520.

Amazon says that there are only five of the TVs left in stock at the time of writing, so if you want to get your hands on the LG B4 for this very reasonable sum, now may well be the perfect time.

Note that we haven't reviewed the B4; however, based on our review of 2023's B3 OLED and the Award-winning 48-inch C4, we are happy to flag this deal.

LG has a consistent track record for delivering excellent picture quality and impressive features across its OLED lineup, and the B4 is (on paper) no exception.

Getting the benefits of OLED, including pixel-level lighting control and supreme contrast, at this price is a rare treat.

You can expect perfect black levels thanks to the OLED panel technology, and, while this isn't one of LG's brighter OLED Evo panels, LG promises that it will, "shine with lifelike colours".

The B4's feature set is where it truly excels, as LG gave it a major overhaul for 2024. First and foremost is the upgraded chipset, LG's Alpha 8 AI Processor, to be exact, which drives a host of picture and sound-enhancing features.

This includes the ability to intelligently tweak the settings to best suit the content you're watching, as well as adapting the sound based on your environment.

Gaming performance also gets a major boost, thanks to the inclusion of four full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 sockets, up from two on the previous generation model.

They can all handle 4K/120Hz signals with VRR and ALLM, while LG's excellent Game Optimiser feature sports a handy menu system that allows you to quickly adapt settings and see crucial information such as frame rate at a glance.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a better gaming display with these credentials, alongside the built-in webOS streaming platform, HDMI eARC socket for pairing external sound systems and promised four years of software updates.

You also get the benefit of Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos support, which is scarcely found in the realm of gaming monitors.

And, while 48 inches might be stretching the limits of desktop display sizes, you can certainly get away with it being a monitor-style display if you have a sturdy and spacious desk.

Amazon's deal that drops the B4's price to £520 is a seriously tempting offer; don't hesitate if you're after a compact OLED at a bargain price.

MORE:

Read our full LG OLED48C4 review

As well as our LG B3 OLED review

Check out our picks for the best OLED TVs

We have been getting a lot of projectors through the What Hi-Fi? home cinema test facilities in the past few months.

It seems the ever-increasing screen-acreage of the average television is not having the effect the truly big-screen doom-mongers, predicting the demise of the projector, were anticipating. There’s big and there’s big after all.

It’s true that you can pick up a (truly excellent) 65-inch TV for less than £2000 / $2500 / AU$3300 – and, for most people, that is a fantastic screen size per pound option.

Even larger sets than that, though, start to cost amounts that are way more eyewatering even than the not inconsiderable amount we reference above.

Which is why the projector remains a fantastic option for a “proper” home cinema, which is what we've built here, with BenQ's new W2720i taking pride of place.

The system

• Projector: BenQ W2720i (£1999 / $2499 / AU$3299)
• Blu-ray player: Sony UBP-X700 (£239 / $250 / AU$349)
• Console: Sony PlayStation 5 (£430 / $450 / AU$749)
• AV amplifier: Sony TA-AN1000 (£799 / around $1240 / around AU$1850)
• Speaker package: Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 HCP (£999 / $1227 / AU$2423)
• Total system price: £4466 / $5666 / AU$8670

The projector

Over the past year or two, we have been getting plenty of ultra short throw projectors to test.

These can take the place of a television, without getting in the way as much as an old-school unit – which has to be both placed a considerable distance from the screen, and carefully set up, and so really needs to remain a pretty permanent fixture in the room.

As well as the UST models, there are also a good number of “coffee table” projectors coming onto the market. These can be put out for special occasions – the big match, or a movie night – and kept in the cupboard when not in use.

While each of those is a splendid option for big-screen fun, they aren’t particularly intended as really “serious” home cinema. For that, traditionally, you need to be looking at investing considerably more.

But then the BenQ W2720i found its way to the What Hi-Fi? review team. And, once we had put it through its paces, we realised we had something of a prodigy on our hands.

For this BenQ manages to be that rarest of things: a hybrid that performs well for both its intended targets.

This, then, is a projector that can hold its head high as a serious movie performer, while being adaptable enough, and easy enough to set up, to spend much of its time hidden away in a cupboard, waiting to perform. If, that is, you can bear to put it away.

Our review’s conclusion says it all really: “The W2720i does an outstanding job of straddling the usually incompatible worlds of serious and casual home cinema/home entertainment projection. Indeed, this is a remarkable all-rounder that is more than good enough to make its asking price look like a steal.”

The Blu-ray player

Such a top-value projector deserves terrific partnering kit, of course. And while the BenQ would manage to hold its own in a system costing around double what we have here, that’s not really what this unit should be about, in our opinion.

This projector opens the way for excellent home cinema entertainment without spending truly silly money.

To that end we have turned to some stalwarts of the home cinema world in our search for appropriate allies in our quest for AV brilliance on a reasonable budget.

The fact that you see the name Sony adorning three of the remaining four parts of this set-up shows that synergy is an important factor in marrying kit together.

The Blu-ray player, the AV amplifier and the games console are in this system for different reasons – but the fact that they work beautifully together is certainly one that is important not to overlook.

The Sony UBP-X700 is an Award-winning Blu-ray player that does a sterling job with 4K movies.

Video streaming capabilities are undoubtedly improving all the time, but the BenQ projector already has a surprisingly well-appointed and optimised smart platform, and it is still the case that physical discs provide the optimum quality when watching top resolution movies.

And the X700 delivers impressively subtle, lifelike pictures – an aspect of its image delivery where it bested even its more expensive forebear, the X800.

The fact that you would need to spend half as much again on our current Award winner, the Panasonic DP-UB820EB, means that it suits this set-up very nicely.

The games console

As the BenQ projector supports the 4K/120Hz images that today’s best games consoles can take advantage of, it makes a lot of sense to include a Sony Playstation 5 in this all-rounder home cinema set-up.

You will need to do some minor fettling in the projector’s set-up menus to get things just right for gaming; but when you do (and it’s not terribly complicated), an input lag time of just 17.8ms is a great result by projector standards.

You could go for the disc drive-toting version of the PS5 and use that for playing 4K Blu-rays, but the dedicated Sony Blu-ray player performs much better with movie discs, so we recommend sticking with that.

You can then, if you wish, save a bit of money on the console by going for the Digital Edition – though do bear in mind that the saving can be quickly wiped out through the purchasing of digital editions of games rather than discs.

The AV amplifier

It bears repeating that the sound performance of a home cinema set-up is just as important as the picture.

You can have the greatest image ever seen, but if the sound in the movie you are watching isn’t compelling, and able to draw you into the action, then your overall experience simply won’t be as satisfying as it should be.

The two final pieces of this home cinema puzzle, then, combine to produce a remarkable soundscape for the money – and will let you immerse yourself fully in the on-screen action.

The Sony TA-AN1000 had a tough act to follow in theWhat Hi-Fi? Hall of Famer STR-DN 1080. But it has carried the torch for Sony’s AV excellence with impressive ease.

It can be configured in up to a 7.1 channel set up, or – if you wanted to upgrade at a later date – a 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos configuration.

Importantly, for this set-up, it will also pass through the all-important 4K/120Hz signal from the PS5 to the projector, via its HDMI 2.1 ports.

And, as we say in our review: “There are no two ways about it, this amp is seriously talented in all the key areas we look for when testing a home cinema amplifier.

“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.”

The speaker package

To take advantage of this excellent amplifier, we have turned to an old favourite as far as loudspeakers go.

Wharfedale’s Diamond 12.1 HCP has taken home our Best Buy Award in its category for the past four years, which should tell you most of what you need to know here.

Just to confirm what you will in all likelihood be suspecting, though, let’s take a look at the verdict of our review:

“With poise, effortlessness, cut glass diction and charisma, the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 HCP is essentially the Audrey Hepburn of home theatre speaker packages. It offers rich bass without sacrificing or overpowering the mid and treble, presenting a mature sound that’s rich in impact, agility, detail and sensitivity.

"Large enough to provide cinematic scale with a wide soundfield, but discreet and affordable enough to be accessible to a variety of audiences, the 12.1s prove to be an excellent choice for both music and film.”

That description is for the “vanilla” 5.1 package. It is worth pointing out that if you wanted to take advantage of the Dolby Atmos abilities of the Sony amplification, you can seal the full enveloping-sound deal by adding Wharfedale’s Diamond 12 3D Atmos toppers to your package – allowing the speaker set-up to fire Atmos channels up into the ceiling.

Now that would be a stunning package, taking full advantage of everything the modern home cinema has to offer. Start with the more basic surround set-up, though, and you won’t be in any way disappointed.

The verdict

This home cinema is an astonishing achievement for the money, taking advantage as it does of components that punch well above their weight in most areas.

And while, on the face of it, a home cinema – almost by definition – means you won’t be going out quite as much as you used to, your social life might actually improve: you will want to share (dare we say show off) your own private big screen with your friends as soon as you install it.

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Check out all of our Home Cinema Week coverage

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I was obsessed with the cinema as a kid. There was something truly special about the whole experience – the intoxicating aroma of popcorn, the sheer scale of the screen, the rib-shaking bass that rumbled through your chest.

It was a proper escape from reality, and I loved being transported to other worlds, if only for a few hours at a time.

These days, that magic has sadly gone. I can count on one hand how many times I’ve been to the cinema in the past eight years or so. And the last flick I saw? The Peppa Pig movie. Not my choice, I assure you.

It’s not just that I’m older and busier, although that certainly plays a part. The cinema experience has also changed – and not for the better. It’s more expensive (as most things are nowadays), and there’s no guarantee that what I watch will be worth the time, money and effort. The lack of a local cinema also doesn’t help matters.

And that’s all without mentioning Other People.

While I’m sure you’re lovely and considerate, I’ve suffered plenty of people who aren’t. I still vividly remember how Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 – the grand finale after years of build-up – was utterly ruined for me by a group of loud-mouthed teens who treated the cinema like their parents’ kitchen at a messy house party.

But despite all that, something strange has happened. My love for the silver screen has been rekindled – but not in the way you’d expect.

Virtual Insanity

A rare free evening recently aligned with a decadent craving for a Dominos and a rather nice bottle of Bumbu rum (other brands of salt-laden pizza and tipple are, of course, also available).

Paired with this nutritionist’s nightmare of a meal was a Blu-ray I’d had knocking about for a while and had put off watching for far too long – Dune: Part Two.

The only snag? I wasn’t particularly thrilled at the idea of watching it on our perfectly average, five-year-old, mid-range Samsung telly. It felt like a disservice, somehow. Dune is, after all, a visual spectacle crafted with the wonders of gigantic screens and booming surround sound systems in mind.

While I enjoyed the first one on the aforementioned TV, I knew I would have enjoyed the experience far more on the big screen.

And then a thought popped into my head. I have a Meta Quest 3 VR headset. What if I could somehow recreate a cinema experience virtually?

A quick Google confirmed that the dream was very much doable. I ripped the Blu-ray to my PC and fired up an app called Skybox VR Video Player, which easily let me remotely stream the file from my PC.

My son was asleep. The garlic and herb sauce was open. I was ready.

A private oasis

Skybox VR gives you a few viewing environment options. I could have used the passthrough mode to watch it on a giant floating screen in my living room (which actually works surprisingly well), but I of course chose the cinema setting.

At the press of a button, I had an entire theatre all to myself. Plush seats, dimmed lights, and not a crumb of stale popcorn in sight. I chose a spot towards the back so I could take everything in. No loud teens. No distracting phone screens. No one kicking my seat. Pure bliss. I pressed play.

The opening credits began to roll. Instantly, and immediately, I had a very specific feeling wash over me. I’m pretty sure there’s no word to describe it. But it’s the feeling I used to have as a kid, packed into a cinema, snacks in hand, knowing that the next few hours would be something rather special. And they were.

The immersion, combined with the feeling of being in an actual cinema, blew me away more than I could have ever expected. Even better, my cat had decided to curl up on my lap, which would be a nigh-on impossible achievement at a bona fide picture house.

As for the picture? By all rights, it should be worse than my 4K TV. The Meta Quest 3’s per-eye resolution is 2064 x 2208 pixels. That’s lower than the 3840 x 2160 of a 4K TV. But despite this on-paper disparity, I was pleasantly surprised by the sharpness on offer. At no point did it feel like I was taking a major visual hit or compromise.

Sure, I’d prefer the inky blacks, punchy colours, and contrast of an OLED, but once you’re immersed in the scale of the VR experience – the sheer size of the screen relative to your vision, the surrounding environment, the darkness – it’s far more of a spectacle than anything a humble TV could serve up.

Witnessing the monolithic might of an approaching sandworm as Paul Atreides set out to ride it for the first time is burned into my brain as a core cinematic memory that no mere TV experience could have provided.

In fact, as memories go, it's up there with my favourite big-screen moment as a kid – when Michael Jordan stretched his arm across the court to make the winning basket in Space Jam.

On the audio front, the Quest 3’s built-in speakers also impressed. They’ve had a notable upgrade over the Quest 2, with integrated stereo drivers offering 3D spatial audio. Dialogue was clear, and everything seemed balanced, though the low-end was, of course, lacking.

Would a proper pair of headphones have sounded better? Absolutely – especially if you’re hankering for some Michael Bay-level explosions. But even without any extra headphones, the soundstage was immersive enough to draw me in.

I might try some earbuds next time for even more punch and presence – but I also enjoyed the freedom of being able to hear the on-screen action while still being aware of my surroundings. I was on childcare duties, after all.

That awareness, by the way, also came in handy when I wanted to top up my drink or pop to the loo. One of the most underrated parts of this whole setup was how seamless it was to pause the film, walk into the kitchen and grab a snack – all without even taking the headset off. The Quest 3’s passthrough cameras are just that good.

With a simple double tap of the side of the headset, you can switch between a virtual cinema and your real-world surroundings in a matter of seconds, which makes the experience surprisingly comfortable.

On the subject of comfort, I should also point out that I have a special headstrap (the BoboVR S3) with a built-in fan that helped keep me cool throughout the film’s two-and-a-half-hour runtime.

All in all, it was the best film-watching experience I’ve had in years. It delivered all the immersion and escapism of a proper cinema, but without any of the frustration or financial drain.

And unlike a projector setup or dedicated home cinema room, the Quest 3 is something you can actually afford, store, and take with you wherever you go.

Sure, I’d love to have a proper projector setup one day – a big screen, blackout curtains, velvet seats, and maybe even a popcorn machine. But right now, I’ve got something far more achievable. A device that lets me carry a cinema in my bag.

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Check out all of our Home Cinema Week coverage

Ever fancied renting out a 'real' cinema? This is how it's done and how much it costs

It goes without saying that we love home cinema at What Hi-Fi?.

But sometimes the experience of going out to the cinema can't be beaten.

A huge screen, the shared experience and the feeling of anticipation as the lights go down – it's something that even the best home cinema set-ups can't match.

But what could be even better? How about the big-screen experience with just your nearest and dearest for company? And your own film selection to cap it off?

It may seem crazy, but there are in fact various ways to do it, and it need not cost the earth.

I'd personally like to rent out a big screen with a group of friends to properly experience Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio, which unfortunately never got a cinema release and went straight onto Netflix.

So what options are out there? Allow me to explain.

A pint and a projector

Pubs don’t tend to shout about their screening room capacities, probably because their main business lies in selling food and drink.

But all across the country, there are pubs and small venues that house projectors or large TV screens ideal for a private movie night.

These prices can range massively depending on location and the size of the screen.

The venue hire marketplace Tagvenue estimates on its website that package deals are available from “anywhere between £5 and £200 per person."

However, you may be able to get a space for free, provided you spend enough behind the bar. It's certainly a great reason to get friendly with your local pub.

A step up

What about the real deal? When looking for a room with a bigger screen, renting out an independent cinema could be a possibility and needn't be prohibitively expensive for a special occasion.

We popped down to The Lexi Cinema in Kensal Rise, London to take a look at the options on offer.

They have two screening rooms, one with 30 seats and the other with 68.

Come before 4pm on a weekday and you will pay £190 per hour for the smaller room and £235 for the larger option. Not too bad if you bring a big enough group of people.

That price can jump to more than £1000 for a weekend evening, however.

I was able to have a look at both of the screens in The Lexi, and have got to say they are rather lovely.

There's a 7.1 Dolby surround speaker system in the biggest screen and 5.1 in the smaller, and you can play your own film from a variety of formats, including Blu-ray.

GRUB, an events and dining venue in Manchester, offers a cinema room called Cultplex.

Its cheapest option comes in at £250, but that gets you private access to its 100-seater cinema for a weekend matinee.

Sell the idea to enough of your friends and we think this is a pretty tempting proposition.

Multiplex of madness

You want the real thing? A full-size cinema? Of course, if you're willing to pay, it can be done.

Let’s take a look at Cineworld, for example. The price will vary depending on where you go but it can be as cheap as £120 if you go at 10am in Aldershot, to as much as £700 if you want a 5pm viewing in Brighton.

Cineworld too mainstream for you? The iconic Prince Charles Cinema in the West End of London offers private cinema screenings from £999.

It has two auditoriums available with 300 or 104 seats, and both can project film and digital.

Now, we're not suggesting you do this every week, but for the cinephile who has everything, it's certainly a great idea for a special occasion.

Or just because you really need to see that stop-motion masterpiece you missed...

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Projector screens: everything you need to know

This is how to set up a projector outdoors

Despite 4K TVs having been mainstream for a decade, and them being present in 45 per cent of US households, the TV shows and movies we watch on them some (or even most) of the time are still in resolutions lower than 4K (3840 x 2160).

Sure, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and other streaming services are increasingly hosting 4K content (albeit mainly under premium-priced tiers), while Ultra HD Blu-rays obviously fly the flag for the superior resolution.

But 4K broadcasts are a relatively rare occurrence, especially outside of sport. In fact, amazingly really, the majority of terrestrial broadcast TV isn’t even in high definition (1920 x 1080) but in standard definition (720 x 480/576).

And, of course, we still have Blu-rays (HD) and DVDs (SD) knocking around too, even if their popularity is waning.

For a 4K TV to display images with resolutions lower than 4K, it must upscale the content. You can read all about the ins and outs of TV upscaling here, but in crude terms, that process involves cleverly interpolating the additional pixels required in the lower-resolution image so that it can adequately fill the higher-resolution screen.

When we think about it, our viewing time ratio for 4K and other resolutions is probably around 50:50. How about yours?

If it’s thereabouts or higher, or you are planning to hold some retro horror DVD night in the near-distant future (Yes? We’re interested…), there are some things you can do to maximise your 4K TV viewing experience when watching those lower resolutions.

Drop sharpness, detail and motion-enhancing settings

To upscale an HD and SD image, a 4K TV must make up around 75 and 95 per cent of the moving image, respectively – that’s a lot of (admittedly highly educated) guessing that requires a lot of picture processing.

It’s a tough ask, and sometimes the immensity of that processing effort can be visible through defects that are only exacerbated by modes designed to increase sharpness and contrast to give images more punch.

Sharpness boosters apply fake edges to objects to make them appear more defined, and if applied too aggressively, this can result in ringing around those objects.

Similarly, while applying motion smoothing – which, similarly to upscaling, sees the TV interpolate (guess) what the frame between two frames would be – may well appear logical for, say, DVDs, to overcome a technically ‘poorer’ image, again the repercussions (the unnaturally smooth ‘soap opera’ or ‘window’ effect look) can be more obvious when applied to this lower resolution.

So if your upscaled images look artificial, decrease any sharpness or detail-enhancing settings at play, or those that work to eliminate noise or smooth motion.

Indeed, too much processing on top of too much processing can have adverse effects. Although it should be said that how effective processing is will, of course, largely depend on the sophistication of the interpolation algorithms and the TV’s processing quality and power.

What’s good for 4K may not be good for HD/SD

If you’ve set up your TV correctly, you’ll have experimented with the picture settings and may well have settled on a manufacturer-tuned preset – they’re typically called things such as ‘standard’, ‘dynamic’, 'cinema', 'game', and 'sports'. Good stuff.

The optimum settings for 4K content may not, however, be the optimum settings for HD or SD material, so it’s worth being open to toying with settings further if you spot a picture defect while, say, watching a DVD that you hadn’t noticed before.

A recent case in point: our TV review experts generally find Sony TVs to be the best upscalers, and with the new Sony Bravia 8 II, they decided the most authentic picture was achieved with the Dolby Vision Dark preset for Dolby Vision content, and the Professional preset for non-Vision 4K HDR viewing.

However, when fed a standard-def stream (576p) of The Thin Blue Line, the picture looked a little dark, and therefore a switch from the theoretically more authentic Professional to the brighter Cinema was deemed necessary. Cinema, in fact, became our reviewers' preferred picture mode for all standard-def content.

Similarly, with the Sony A80L, our TV reviewers note that “in all three of the more authentic picture modes – Custom, IMAX Enhanced and Cinema – there’s a bit of black crush that means some dark detail is missing” when playing SD content. However, this can somewhat be “compensated for by adjusting the Black Level setting”.

Yes, tweaking settings is a faff when you’ll most likely want to return to the prior settings before long, but many TVs will allow you to save a custom preset or apply certain settings to specific inputs for easier switching between them, depending on what you’re watching.

TV or source? Check which upscaler is better

If you’re watching DVD discs through a Blu-ray player, or DVDs or Blu-rays through an Ultra HD Blu-ray player, you have an avenue of experimentation ahead of you.

You see, your player may well have better upscaling abilities than your TV and, naturally, you should take advantage of the superior talent.

To test your TV’s upscaling skills, ensure your player’s output is set to send content to the TV in its native format (this is often called the 'Source' mode in a Blu-ray player's settings).

To test your player’s upscaling chops, force it to output its maximum resolution. With a standard Blu-ray player, you would set the output to 1080p, and with a 4K Blu-ray player, you would select 4K.

Upgrade your DVD / Blu-ray player

Of course, an easy way to upgrade your disc-watching and ensure the experience is the best it can be is to own the best-performing source player.

Our best Blu-ray player buying guide recommends four 4K players from £158 / $200, as well as a standard (non-4K) player for £89 (UK only) – and all have very good upscaling abilities.

That non-4K player is the Panasonic DMP-BDT180EB, about which we said this: “its upscaler is competent enough to convey detail and depth with lower quality sources. There is a little bit of expected picture noise, and during dimly lit films such as Alien, the dark details slightly suffer, but it’s an entirely watchable picture that should keep you happy.”

Ultimately, don’t expect miracles

The 4K TVs of recent years are much, much better upscalers than the first waves of models that launched, many of which were so poor at upscaling SD and HD material that, in a 4K-content-poor world back then, they simply weren’t worth buying.

Indeed, it wasn’t until mid-2014, a couple of years after we had began testing 4K sets, that we awarded one a five-star review, praising its ability to deliver HD images “on a par with some of the better Full HD TVs we’ve seen” and an SD performance similar to what “we’d expect if watching a regular HD TV”.

Due to improved upscaling algorithms, often based on clever deep-learning (or AI) technology, good 4K TVs of recent years are much more capable of delivering highly watchable pictures below a 4K resolution.

Just don’t expect miracles when it comes to SD content. In this instance, a 4K TV is essentially ‘making up’ 95 per cent of a moving image!

Watchable? Yes. But in many cases, outlines will be noticeably softer, noise won’t be completely eradicated, and you’ll get some blurring artefacts during fast movement – especially noticeable if you sit close to the screen.

That said, the better your TV, the less compromised your SD watching will be. In our recent Sony Bravia 8 II review, our expert reviewers noted: “It wouldn’t be too hard to convince someone that what they were watching was HD rather than SD.”

Of course, some SD content will look better than others due to the quality of the broadcast/DVD production itself.

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Welcome to What Hi-Fi?’s Home Cinema Week!

Discs vs streaming: how do you watch your favourite films and TV shows?

How to set up your TV and get the best picture

The LG C4 is one of the best TVs we've ever tested – and the 48-inch is our favourite at this particular size.

Fortunately we have some good news for you. Right now, this spectacular five-star OLED can be yours for just £799 at Amazon.

No fancy codes or newsletter sign-ups, it's really as simple as that.

So, if you're in the market for rich and engaging picture, an unrivalled gaming feature set and excellent app compatibility, we'd seriously recommend this deal.

We've reviewed the LG C4 in a variety of sizes and always land on a five-star rating. And while the 48-inch model doesn't go quite as bright as its larger siblings, if you can look past this it still sits comfortably as the best TV of its size.

Sure, the LG C5 has entered the scene, but as far as the C4 is concerned it's still an excellent pick for quality, feature set and price. And you certainly won't pick up the LG C5 for £799 at Amazon, like the C4 right now.

There's plenty of reasons the 48-inch tops our best 50-inch TVs guide (that also includes 48-inch TVs). It's got excellent picture quality, an unrivalled feature set that is especially alluring for gamers and is incredible value.

For picture, the LG C4 produces a crisp, balanced and rich image that's even better than its C3 predecessor.

For features, it carries the same four HDMI 2.1 ports as the C-series range, which is great news for gamers looking for 4K/120Hz with VRR and ALLM.

Plus, there's Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos immersive audio alongside the webOS smart platform that connects you to a whole range of popular streaming apps.

When it comes to sound, the built-in audio system is a little underwhelming. But, with a £700 saving to be had when purchasing the LG C4 right now, you could absolutely use this extra cash towards one of the best soundbars to bolster your home cinema setup.

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Read the full LG C4 review

LG C5 vs LG C4: what’s the difference, and which one should you buy?

And the best OLED TVs: as tested by our experts

After weeks of comparative, in-depth testing, our team of home cinema aficionados have finally delivered their verdict on one of 2025’s biggest OLED TVs, the Sony Bravia 8 II.

And after all that effort, we’re pleased to say it is a fantastic five-star set that will delight premium shoppers who insist on getting the best of the best and don’t mind paying for it.

So much so that we just added it to our best OLED TV buying guide – where our editors detail the top sets they’ve tested and personally recommend.

And while there’s plenty to like about the Bravia 8 II, and it should be celebrated for breaking into the list of just five top recommendations, the main reason we like it has nothing to do with picture quality or value for money.

While the Bravia 8 II’s QD-OLED panel can deliver a bright but balanced image with a three-dimensionality missing on many rival models, its current high price means it falls short in our hallowed performance-per pound / dollar metric. This is why it's not currently our overall, premium or even new recommended OLED.

It was its audio that earned the Bravia 8 II a place in our buying guide.

The Bravia 8 II is the latest OLED to come with Sony’s Acoustic Surface Audio+ technology. This is an atypical feature that uses under-screen actuators, rather than traditional speakers, to generate sound.

The specific set-up on the Bravia 8 II is unchanged from its predecessor the A95L, at least in hardware terms, with two actuators and two subwoofers. In comparison, its step down sibling, the Bravia 8, has two lesser actuators and one sub.

Putting the set through its paces, it outright smoked the competition, including the LG G5, when it came to audio performance. So much so that, while it isn’t the last word on low-end heft, it even managed to contend with our Blade Runner 2049, Chapter Two stress test surprisingly well.

As we said in our Sony Bravia 8 II review:

“It’s weightier than many rivals and, more importantly, is very controlled in the low frequencies, with only the faintest hint of fuzz creeping into the uniquely deep notes of the soundtrack.”

Does that mean you don’t need a soundbar? If you're a true cinephile, no – you still will want one.

But it does mean the Bravia 8 II is one of the only TVs out there with audio good enough that you’ll have to invest in a price comparative soundbar to properly complement it and notice significant improvements.

Our TV and AV editor, Tom Parsons, personally recommends the Sonos Arc Ultra as a baseline to work from. That is a rare achievement. Nearly every one we’ve tested in the past 12 months has been easily outperformed by the Sonos Beam (Gen 2), which is also significantly cheaper.

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Steven Soderbergh's suspenseful spy drama Black Bag, Ryan Coogler's rollicking deep-south horror Sinners and Walter Salles' shattering political drama I'm Still Here all deservedly feature in Rotten Tomatoes' 'Best New Movies of 2025' list.

But topping the Tomatometer-ranked round-up is Rungano Nyoni's follow-up to her BAFTA-winning feature directorial debut, I Am Not a Witch (2017).

On Becoming A Guinea Fowl is another critically acclaimed hit, carrying a 100 per cent Rotten Tomatoes rating. Film critic Roger Ebert called Nyoni's latest "an entrancing watch," while The New York Times wrote that the main protagonist "keeps you tethered throughout".

More than a year after its premiere at Cannes Film Festival, On Becoming A Guinea Fowl is currently available to rent on the Sky Store (UK) and Amazon (UK/US) for only £3.49 and $5.99 respectively, but from Friday it will be available to stream on Max (US).

That means it should be available to stream on Sky's Now TV service in the UK, if not also this weekend, then presumably very shortly after, following the recently renewed deal between Sky and Warner Bros Discovery.

The movie opens with Shula (Susan Chardy) finding her Uncle Fred dead on the road on her way home from a fancy dress party, and follows her experience over the ensuing days during the traditional Zambian funeral rites, when a dark family secret is revealed that causes tensions in the tight-knit family.

On Becoming A Guinea Fowl is an enlightening and somewhat damning exploration of a society whereby cultural traditions overpower morals, and silence takes precedence over justice, as through Shula and the other generations of women in her family we witness the emotional weight of hiding shame and suppressing trauma.

Indeed, the symbolism behind its surreal title unfolds as we learn the value of the vocal behaviour of the native African guinea fowl.

What Nyoni does so compellingly, as she did in I Am Not a Witch, is weave in flourishes of magical surrealism, here to illustrate Shula's actual frame of mind in contrast to her outwardly impassive and dutiful demeanour. Its poetic, dream-like quality keeps you hung in an absorbed state.

There are thought-provoking contrasts everywhere – the searing, heavy narrative undertow peppered with sporadic, sly moments of absurdist humour; the way the stoic Shula, her drunk, party-hard cousin Nsansa (Elizabeth Chisela) and the grief-stricken female elders wear their grief; and in the utterly captivating cinematography by David Gallego as he paints vivid pictures of the stark reality alongside abstract art that speaks the unsaid words of Shula.

Nyoni has become one of the most distinctive voices in cinema, and with On Becoming A Guinea Fowl, she manages to sink her hooks into you once again.

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Welcome to What Hi-Fi?’s Home Cinema Week!

Discs or streaming: how do you watch your favourite films and TV shows?

This heartstopping war movie with a 93% Rotten Tomatoes rating is one of the best Dolby Atmos movies of the year

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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Our picks of the best projectors

We rate the best Dolby Atmos soundbars

When JBL announced its latest range of home cinema AVRs, there was a collective sense of excitement throughout the What Hi-Fi? AV team.

Denon has ruled the roost with very little competition for a long while now, dominating the entry-level and mid-range markets with its excellent X-series of home cinema amplifiers.

JBL’s mission is simple; the Modern Audio series is an accessible line of AVRs aimed towards those looking to dabble in home cinema audio or graduate from a soundbar. Likewise, JBL hopes to entice seasoned cinematic audiophiles, which is a tricky balance, though the five-strong lineup of amplifiers should cover most bases.

We have the MA7100HP here today, which serves as the step-down model from the flagship, and it has a promising feature list on paper, too, but the most important factor is – no surprises here – sound quality. With a small yet talented cohort of competitors in this area, the MA7100HP must excel. So, does it?

Price

The JBL MA7100HP is priced at £1399 / $1199 / AU$2055, putting it into the mid-range sector of the AVR market, where the five-star Denon AVC-X3800H looms large.

Some notable alternatives undercut the MA7100HP too, including the Sony TA-AN1000 (£999 / around $1240 / AU$1850) and Denon AVR-X2800H (£869 / $1200 / AU$2399) – both of which are now heavily discounted at many retailers. Need we also remind you that both the Sony and Denon are previous What Hi-Fi? Award winners, so the competition is piping hot.

If we’re being honest, the JBL feels a touch overpriced for our liking – especially when we take the build quality and feature set into account compared to its aforementioned peers.

Build

We’re not entirely convinced by the JBL’s build as, while it's unique compared to the fairly uninspired-looking Denon models in our test room, we wouldn’t consider it to be to our collective taste.

We’ll start with the positives; the display on the front is a really nice touch – especially when you stream music to the AVR as it shows album artwork, track listing and a 'play bar' akin to a premium music streamer. It also makes navigating the system menus a breeze, though these menus are handily mirrored on your connected TV or projector.

Furthermore, the customisable LED light strip along the bottom of the unit adds a pop of colour, and it can be disabled if you have an aversion to ambient light.

Flipping the unit around, we appreciate how straightforward the set-up is; you’ll find neatly laid-out ports that are all clearly labelled. This should make set-up very easy, even for those not au fait with home cinema receivers.

The AVR is also available in two finishes – black and white – and the cheeky nod to This Is Spinal Tap that adorns the volume knob is also a fun Easter egg.

That all being said, we find that the MA7100HP doesn’t feel particularly premium to the touch.

At 7.6kg, the JBL is much lighter than the Sony TA-AN1000 or Denon AVR-X2800H; and while that isn’t necessarily an issue, it just makes the JBL feel slightly cheap despite it costing considerably more than both of those models.

And, while the edgy orange accents might suit some people’s taste, and we certainly can’t knock JBL’s effort to create something unique that’s not just another black cuboid, it certainly won’t appeal to everyone.

Features

This home cinema receiver features seven channels of Class D amplification and two subwoofer outputs, meaning it can support up to a 7.2 surround-sound system or 5.2.2 Dolby Atmos system.

This is on par with its Sony, Denon and Arcam competitors, and means you’ll need to step up to the JBL MA9100HP if you have a larger system such as a 7.2.2 speaker package with rear surrounds and height channels. Sound format support includes all of the usual suspects, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.

JBL claims 125W of power output with two channels driven, which is considerably higher than the Sony and Denon (85W and 95W, respectively), and less than the Denon AVC-X3800H’s claimed 180W power output.

There are a total of six HDMI inputs, three of which are the 2.1 standard that support 8K/60Hz or 4K/120Hz sources with VRR and ALLM. All inputs support HDR10, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, too, while the dual outputs feature HDMI eARC connectivity and Zone 2 functionality.

There is also a built-in moving magnet phono connection for hooking this AVR up to a turntable, alongside coaxial, optical and USB digital audio inputs, and RCA line-level analogue inputs. Wireless connectivity is solid, with Apple AirPlay 2, Google Chromecast and Bluetooth with support for the aptX Adaptive codec.

JBL has also taken an unconventional and, if we’re being brutally honest, frustrating approach to room correction.

You’ll need to download the EZ EQ app, which is different from the JBL Premium Audio app that’s required to stream music and connect devices via Bluetooth.

From there, the app requires you to correct each speaker individually (front, centre and surrounds) by walking around the room with your iPhone’s microphone (tough luck if you have an Android smartphone, as you’ll need to buy an external microphone).

There’s a catch to this process, however: it doesn’t set speaker distances or levels, you’ll need to do that yourself. The Sony and Denon receivers, on the other hand, have intuitive microphone-driven auto calibration systems that handle this for you.

It’s a strange omission considering that JBL is attempting to make this a user-friendly home cinema amp. This amplifier is Dirac Live Ready, though that process is a lot more involved and incurs additional costs.

Sound

This is the make-or-break category for any home cinema receiver, so does the JBL deliver? Unfortunately, we’re not entirely convinced it does. We’ve hooked the amplifier up to our reference speaker package – the PMC Twenty5.23 package in a 7.2 configuration – and raided our 4K Blu-ray shelf for a collection of reference discs including Interstellar, Blade Runner 2049, Oppenheimer and Dune: Part Two.

There are positive aspects to the MA7100HP, namely its big and bold sound characteristics. For scenes that require sheer brawn and scale, the JBL can deliver a punchy, room-filling sound with ease, which is shown off in the rip-roaring introduction montage of Top Gun: Maverick.

It also does a solid job of tracking the positions of the fighter jets as they speed down the aircraft carrier and soar into the sky, with effects passing seamlessly between channels.

Speaking of which, the MA7100HP manages to create a harmonious balance between each channel in a convincing surround-sound effect, with no noticeable gaps between the speakers to detract from the immersive bubble of sound.

Finally, it produces a solid, weighty kick of bass when needed, with plenty of punch and heft. We’d hesitate to compliment its bass control, but if you’re after sheer low-end rumble, then this JBL is capable of delivering.

Unfortunately, that’s really where the positives end, as elsewhere the JBL just misses the mark.

There is an overall sense that the 7100HP is lacking in subtlety, as the spacious sound comes at the expense of finer sonic details.

Low-level dynamics, for instance, are a notable weakness, which leads to flat and unengaging dialogue. The strained conversation between Cooper and Brand, as they realise that the minutes they’ve spent waiting for their waterlogged engines to reboot equate to years in Earth-time in Interstellar, should be conveyed with desperation and panic – but the JBL doesn’t quite capture this.

Sticking with Interstellar, we take issue with synthetic-sounding effects – specifically the waves that lap against the hull of the Endurance space shuttle. There is a metallic quality to the water that’s accentuated when a character steps through it, causing unnatural-sounding splashes.

Furthermore, the overall sound of this AVR can be best described as mushy, with a noticeable shortcoming when it comes to definition and detail.

There is a congested nature to the audio, which means that dialogue is often lost in scenes with many competing effects. The bustling Fremen party in Dune: Part Two, during which Paul Atriedes is granted the Muad’Dib title, is a prime example, as crucial pieces of dialogue are mixed up in the general hustle and bustle of the tent.

Switching to some music in stereo, the JBL’s issues persist, with Taylor Swift’s The 1 and Bombay Bicycle Club’s Luna both sounding fine, but by no means particularly engaging or inviting.

We pair the MA7100HP with JBL's own Stage 2 loudspeakers to see if the synergy between the AVR and speakers improves the experience.

While you don’t necessarily have to pair these together, they were developed in tandem to suit each other when it comes to sound characteristics. Ultimately, though, we find the issues to persist, with scale and punch presented at the expense of subtlety and detail.

While these sonic shortcomings are certainly an issue in isolation, they become even more apparent when we put the JBL side-by-side with the Award-winning Sony TA-AN1000.

Considering the Sony costs considerably less, there is no competition when it comes to sound quality. The Sony’s expert handling of dynamics and more detailed sound seal the deal, while the comparatively expansive soundstage makes it the obvious choice.

Verdict

The JBL MA7100HP isn’t a complete write-off, thanks to its big, bold and encompassing sound. However, it's not a home cinema receiver that we can really recommend.

The sub-par detail, weak dynamics and lack of sonic subtlety hinder its true potential, and it likely won’t be enough to tempt die-hard soundbar fans to join the world of true home cinema sound.

SCORES

• Sound 3
• Features 4
• Build 3

MORE:

Read our review of the Arcam AVR5

Also consider the Sony TA-AN1000

Read our Denon AVR-X2800H

Best AV receivers: the top home cinema amplifiers we've tested

If you are on the hunt for a cheap portable projector for those hot summer evenings, Yaber has released a product that may pique your interest.

The T1 Pro brings “flexible entertainment for everyday spaces—all at an accessible price point,” according to the Chinese brand.

Weighing in at just 1.2kg, the mini projector should be easy to take on-the-go for a movie night.

It houses just one 8W speaker, and features a 180 degree rotating gimbal which, according to Yaber, means the projector can also be positioned on the wall or ceiling “without the need for additional mounts.”

Yaber also claims the screen size can range from 40 to 120 inches. Auto-keystone correction, auto-focus and intelligent screen alignment are also available.

Using a variant of Linux OS, the 1080p projector comes preloaded with Netflix, YouTube and Amazon Prime Video.

In terms of sound, Yaber’s latest entry is employing 'TurboSonic' technology which it says delivers “rich, room-filling sound with deeper bass and immersive spatial presence.”

Sporting a cylindrical design with an ambient disc at the bottom, the projector does somewhat resemble projectors such as the Xgimi MoGo 4 that also hit the shelves this year.

The T1 Pro is available for £170 / $160 (around AU$335), meaning Yaber is truly targeting the cheaper end of the projector market.

With quite a barebones offering in terms of streaming smarts and connectivity, the T1 Pro is certainly not competing with the likes of the four-star Samsung The Freestyle that can now regularly be found for around £499 in the UK.

Still, if you are looking for an uber-cheap portable projector for light viewing, Yaber’s latest model looks promising on paper.

MORE:

Here is our full review of the MoGo 4

And these are the best portable projectors we recommend

Projector screens: everything you need to know

Our AV testing room is an integral component of every single TV, projector, soundbar, AVR, streaming device and surround-sound speaker system review that we conduct.

It's safe to say we spend quite a lot of time in there evaluating the latest TVs and home cinema kit.

While we're more than familiar with the space, and you've likely seen glimpses of it in our reviews, in the spirit of Home Cinema Week, we're taking a deep dive into our testing facility.

More importantly, we're sharing our 2025 reference home cinema set-up that we have for reviewing the newest AV products.

We always have our reference devices on hand; consider them an elite squad of five-star recipients that we use to benchmark the latest products.

This roster is constantly changing, as the bar is always rising with every new five-star review. However, some components of our reference kit have stood the test of time, occupying a multi-year residency in our facility.

Before we dig into the reference system, we'll get some of the specifications of the room out of the way.

Our home cinema room measures 2.3 x 6.0 x 5.0m (hwd), meaning it is suitably sized to house a full 7.2.4 surround-sound speaker set-up, with plenty of room for an AV rack which houses our amplifiers and projectors.

There is also room for two 65-inch TVs to sit side by side, a 96-inch projector screen, and we couldn't forget about our trusty sofa.

We also have adjustable acoustic panels affixed to the walls and bass traps in the corners of the room to ensure that interference from the room itself is minimised for our audio-focused reviews.

Last (but by no means least), we have Chord Company cables throughout the room to power our surround-sound speaker package.

Now onto the fun part, our reference home cinema set-up...

Two 4K reference displays from Sony

It's imperative that we always have a 4K reference display on hand, so we've got two, just to be safe.

One is an Award-winning OLED TV, the other is an Award-winning 4K home cinema projector, both of which are made by Sony.

We'll start with the Bravia 8, an OLED TV that trumped the likes of the LG C4, Samsung S95D and Philips OLED809 last year.

Sony has opted to keep the TV in its lineup, with no direct replacement for 2025, however we take no issue with this as it's a damn good TV.

It sports a 144Hz panel with Dolby Vision support, as well as Sony's excellent picture processing, which puts it at the top of our list and makes it a reference product to pit other TVs against.

We've used it to test a handful of streaming devices, soundbars and other TVs recently, and it's already proving to be a fine addition to our system.

It has just replaced its equally well-regarded predecessor, the Sony A80L, which served admirably as our previous reference set.

When we're not using a TV for testing, we have our Sony VPL-XW5000ES 4K projector, which comes into play for AVR and surround-sound speaker system reviews.

It's a serial Award-winner, and while it's not the flagship model in Sony's range, we find it to be the sweet spot in the lineup. We reviewed it at £5999 / $5998 / AU$9990, which puts it in the premium sector, but not out of reach entirely for those who want to get serious about home cinema.

While it's not a budget projector by any means, it sits well below the flagship Bravia Projector 9, which costs £27,599 / $31,999, and it still provides a crisp, detailed image with excellent black levels.

A duo of Award-winning AV amplifiers (and a couple more for good measure)

If there is one thing we have an abundance of in our AV testing facility, it's AV amplifiers. On average, there are four set-ups at all times, each occupying a specific price point or feature set.

Starting with the headliner, and our overall pick for the best AV receiver, we have the Marantz Cinema 30. With its superb specification, rich and powerful sound and stylish chassis, the Cinema 30 is an all-around stunner.

It's pricey, £4000 / $4500 / AU$7900 to be exact, but there are more costly AV amplifiers in our testing room.

The JBL Synthesis SDR38, for example, is our high-end pick that we have set up for premium AVR comparisons, and that amp comes in at a cool £7300 / $8550 / AU$16,999.

The Marantz remains our preferred method, as it boasts 11 channels of amplification, which means it can support a full 7.4.4 channel speaker system, perfect for us.

Not all great AVRs are wildly expensive, however, as we also have the Sony TA-AN1000 and Denon AVR-X2800H on hand for comparison to more affordable AVRs.

These are two brilliant home cinema amplifiers in their own right, and we often find ourselves switching over to the Product of the Year-winning TA-AN1000.

It's important to test surround-sound packages with a couple of amplifiers, as pairing your speakers to your amp is just as important in the world of home cinema as it is in the realm of hi-fi.

Some may say four AVRs are too many, but we think we could squeeze another one on our rack.

A surround-sound system that's stood the test of time

While our TV and amplifiers are on the newer side of things, our speaker system is a well-established favourite.

The PMC Twenty5.23 system, which we reviewed all the way back in 2017, has remained our reference speaker system ever since.

We admit that it's probably time for an upgrade, and we've seen our fair share of five-star surround-sound systems, but none are as revealing and insightful as the PMC set.

This really is the full package, as these speakers sound fantastic and can easily identify weaknesses in any source that we plug them into.

AVR lacking in dynamics? Streamer dropping the ball when it comes to detail? There's no hiding from the PMCs.

We've added KEF's R50 Dolby Atmos toppers into the mix too, and we're using two of PMC's Twenty5.sub subwoofers for a full 7.2.4 system, which sounds glorious in tandem with the aforementioned Marantz Cinema 30.

A beloved Blu-ray player (that you can no longer buy)

Last, but by absolutely no means least, is our trusty Blu-ray player. We're using the Oppo UDP 203 4K Blu-ray player, a legend in the world of home cinema that's unfortunately no longer on the market.

Its performance remains top notch, and while the likes of Magnetar and Panasonic have premium players on the market, the Oppo remains a popular choice for home cinema purists who don't mind hunting one down on the second-hand market.

We do have a more mainstream player in the form of the Panasonic DP-UB820EB, which is still widely available and a lot cheaper.

You may have seen references to our favourite 4K reference discs in our reviews, but in case you haven't, then these are some of our favourites:

• Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
• Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
• Dune: Part Two (2024)
• Civil War (2024)
• Oppenheimer (2023)
• The Batman (2022)
• Alien Romulus (2024)

And that brings our tour of the What Hi-fi? AV testing facility to a close. We're eagerly awaiting whatever our next addition to this set-up will be.

Stay tuned, as any new products that enter our reference set-up will get a shout-out, and we have plenty of home cinema reviews coming up throughout this week.

MORE:

Check out our picks for the best projectors

As well as the best OLED TVs

And these are the best movie scenes to test your home cinema setup

You never truly appreciate what you have until it’s gone. It’s true in relationships, it’s true of your own youth, and, of course, it’s true when it comes to novelty childhood snacks. Remember Panda Pops? Sweet, sweet times.

You’ll smirk when I tell you this, but I mean it in all sincerity, that the same truism hit home during the recent coverage surrounding the mediocre, yet wildly popular, fever dream of a blockbuster, A Minecraft Movie.

Few would consider a bearded Jack Black wearing a blue T-shirt and shouting “flint and steel!” to be the basis for a cinematic masterpiece, mainly because it isn't, but it’s not the intrinsic narrative qualities of said brick-based adventure tie-in that have me feeling all misty-eyed.

Instead, it’s been the sense of community, however outlandish and occasionally toxic, that A Minecraft Movie has conjured that has me hankering for a similar experience.

I’ve never played the game or seen the film, but what I have witnessed has been the plethora of videos, memes and news reports covering young audiences getting together at their local cinema and revelling in the delights of communal cinema.

Patrons seem particularly excited whenever there’s a mention of the fabled ‘chicken jockey’ or each time Jack Black pulls out dialogue referencing the original game’s crafting mechanics, invoking rapturous reactions from the real-life, in-house audiences.

I don’t approve of throwing popcorn everywhere or scaring families with young kids, but this explosion of fan-oriented ecstasy following months of anticipation is something I haven’t witnessed since Avengers: Endgame.

It’s people doing what people used to do: going to a cinema and watching a film communally. The multiplexes are dying, nobody leaves the house any more (apparently), and the high street itself has become some sort of barren anachronism from a bygone era.

I should know: the town in which I grew up has its own leisure complex, which once consisted of a bowling alley, a gym, two restaurants and a cinema. Now, only the gym and bowling alley remain, and I'm not particularly confident regarding the longevity of the latter.

As much as I love nailing a tricky spare and blasting my quads in equal measure, the death of the town’s local Empire cinema feels like a loss whose consequences many of us are only just coming to terms with.

Local cinemas such as these are exactly the kinds of places where such communal experiences are to be enjoyed, yet they have become increasingly rare in this age of 65-inch TVs and on-demand streaming. Not that we would discourage you from buying one of the best 65-inch TVs, mind.

Yes, I missed the boat on A Minecraft Movie, but this is the place where I had my own experiences, the ones that really do form happy childhood memories.

This is the place my parents took me to see Pirates of the Caribbean for the first time, the place that I went on a double date to watch the surprisingly excellent 21 Jump Street reboot as a teenager (my mate and I loved it, our dates were ambivalent), and the place that blew my mind as a twenty-something watching Top Gun: Maverick and slightly falling in love with a fifty-something Tom Cruise.

The late great David Lynch made a great point about watching movies on your iPhone which, while it’s a slight stretch, can be applied here. “If you’re playing a movie on a telephone, you will never in a trillion years experience the film. You’ll think you’ll have experienced it, but you’ll be cheated. It’s such a sadness that you think you’ve seen a film on your [expletive deleted] telephone. Get real.”

Okay, so no one’s daft enough to watch, say, Dune: Part 2 on their iPhone and think that it’s the same as watching it at the IMAX in Waterloo, but Lynch’s point is that watching a film is an active experience rather than a passive one, an experience that goes beyond the literal footage that unfolds in front of your eyeballs.

It’s about the screen and the sound, not to mention the building you watch it in and the people you’re with, and that’s not something you can replicate by sitting at home watching Netflix in bed.

I’m of the generation that is old enough to know just what it’s missing, and to be capable of realising the difference between hearing the thunderous howl of Tom Cruise’s R-72 Darkstar nailing its Top Gun test run in a properly kitted out theatre against my TV’s rather poxy in-built speakers.

Yet for younger viewers, glueing themselves to an iPad or iPhone screen might be all they’ve known and, more worryingly considering the struggles of the modern cinema, all they ever will know.

Now that my local cinema has gone, I wish I'd made the most of it. It's become easy to be complacent, to fool yourself in the manner Lynch describes, into thinking you're thinned-out domestic experience was the same as the full-fat cinema version.

Yes, I enjoyed watching Deadpool and Wolverine on Disney Plus, but it was nothing compared with the pleasure of seeing Infinity War at the Clapham Picturehouse with, oddly enough, another ex-girlfriend. Maybe she wasn't as into Marvel movies as I was.

I miss those experiences, and I hope that they're not going to be consigned to the annals of history along with handwritten letters, in-car CD players and basic human decency.

I still want to watch films with my friends and family, be they young or old, rather than cooping myself up alone in my flat to slog through another lacklustre Star Wars spin-off.

Popcorn chucking aside, then, I'm glad a new generation is getting the chance to enjoy such communal reveries. Be it Marvel madness or Minecraft mayhem, there's nothing quite like seeing a movie at your local cinema.

Now that mine has perished, I wish I'd visited more often when I had the chance.

MORE:

Check out all of our Home Cinema Week content

Check out our list of the best TVs you can buy

Apple’s trailer for F1 The Movie has an innovative feature – and I was shocked how good it is

If you’ve dipped your toes into home cinema at any time over the past 20 years, the chances are you’ve heard of Audyssey.

It’s a room correction system designed for AV and multi-channel audio systems, and it’s specifically built into Denon and Marantz receivers and processors, which frequently appear in our list of the best AV receivers.

Although the various versions of Audyssey MultEQ room correction are simple to use in their basic form, there’s also a chance for more experienced consumers to dig in with more advanced levels.

Getting a room to sound good can be a big challenge. But the prospect of hiring a sound professional to consult on your room’s environmental shortcomings isn’t at the top of most AV enthusiasts’ lists. Nor is buying pricey acoustic treatments such as absorbers, diffusers or bass traps.

Luckily, automated room correction systems such as Audyssey go some way to compensate for the worst acoustical quirks.

Let’s find out who Audyssey is, how many versions there are, and why you might need it.

Who is Audyssey?

Audyssey hails from the US. It’s a spin-off from the National Science Foundation, a research centre at the University of Southern California. Among its alumni is Professor Tomlinson Holman, famously the ‘TH’ of Lucasfilm’s original THX group.

The company specialises in the acoustical properties of audio equipment in different environments, including home cinemas, studios, cars and even professional cinemas.

The first technology to emerge from the company was the Audyssey MultEQ room correction system in 2004.

What are the different versions of Audyssey MultEQ room correction?

Before we get into how Audyssey room correction is set up at home, let’s look at the three layers of the software that might be built into your Denon or Marantz AVR or processor.

Audyssey MultEQ – also known as ‘Bronze Built-in’

This is the base level version of Audyssey room correction with adjustment of speaker levels and time delays. It includes Dynamic Volume and Dynamic EQ (more on these later). It is designed primarily for small rooms.

Audyssey MultEQ XT – also known as ‘Silver Built-in’

This mid-size room version provides more measurement positions and better equalisation filters than basic MultEQ. It allows for more precise adjustments with emphasis on low frequencies. MultEQ XT also includes Dynamic Volume and Dynamic EQ.

Audyssey MultEQ XT32 – also known as ‘Platinum Built-in’

This is the top level and latest version of MultEQ with yet more measurement positions and high-resolution filters available. MultEQ XT32 is suitable for large rooms with complex setups. With more than 10,000 control points, it supports 32 times the resolution of plain MultEQ. It includes Dynamic Volume and Dynamic EQ, as in the previous entries, along with SubEQ HT and LFC (also explained below).

How does Audyssey work?

The built-in versions of Audyssey MultEQ contain an easy walk-through as part of the Denon or Marantz on-screen menu interface.

Audyssey tries to correct for off-axis listening and room acoustics. An included microphone needs to be placed in the main listening position (MLP) as well as up to seven other locations, all from a tripod.

In doing so, the system looks for acoustical anomalies and attempts to fix them. The idea is to improve the sound for all seating positions while smoothing out the frequency response.

It can be a good idea to enter levels and distances manually (using a tape measure or laser distance meter, test tone generator and SPL meter). Audyssey tends to undercook the subwoofer and centre channel levels in the automated procedure.

MultEQ, in all its incarnations, works by analysing the acoustics of a room and applying digital signal processing to optimise the audio output.

Both frequency responses and time domains help the software to pick out reflections, standing waves and other acoustical anomalies. But the key difference between the versions of MultEQ lies in the increasing efficacy and resolution of the filters applied.

Are there software and hardware add-ons?

Yes. For £20 / $20 / AU$31, you can purchase the Audyssey MultEQ Editor app for Android or iOS, which allows for more fully fledged control of your room correction and offers customisation.

Because a phone or tablet has more processing power than a typical AVR, making adjustments in the app can create more detailed profiles and more accurate results. The app supports saving of profiles, target curve adjustments and subwoofer levels.

For those who wish to dig in even deeper, it costs $200 (around £145 / AU$300) for the Audyssey MultEQ-X software, which is compatible with a Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC.

This gives the user many more levels of flexibility and control, including detailed frequency responses of individual channels, an ‘advanced curve designer’ with targets for each channel and more sophisticated subwoofer level adjustments.

MultEQ-X is designed essentially for professionals or hardcore enthusiasts who want to tweak their system to perfection. (A Pro version of the software is more expensive and includes multiple licences.)

All Audyssey versions must use approved microphones, whether the basic model included with a receiver, or the more accurate ACM1-X (£80 / $80 / AU$140). You can also go for the MultEQ-X Calibrated Microphone kit with extender leads, particularly useful if the AVR is in a remote location in the house.

What are some of the other Audyssey MultEQ features?

Dynamic Volume

Applying to all versions of MultEQ, this feature protects against sudden volume peaks or troughs for a more consistent sonic level.

It tracks the volume in real time and optimises the dynamic range for the situation. This can be useful for late-night viewing, not startling the neighbours or recalibrating the output when loud adverts suddenly interrupt programme viewing.

Dynamic EQ

Also available on all MultEQ platforms, this feature optimises sound quality at lower volumes by boosting bass and treble responses.

Again, the adjustments are made in real time and account for the way humans perceive audio at varying levels. Dynamic EQ is also useful for late-night viewing by enhancing content at low levels.

SubEQ HT

This feature is found on the Audyssey MultEQ XT32 platform only. Designed to work with two or more subwoofers, SubEQ HT allows individual calibration of each bass enclosure. It also aligns their timing and levels, so that they should blend seamlessly.

SubEQ HT ensures that room correction filters are applied to all the subwoofers, as if they were a single unit.

LFC (Low Frequency Containment)

Also reserved for the XT32 version only, the LFC feature limits the transmission of low frequencies through walls to different rooms. It does so while maintaining the sound quality.

LFC is a great asset for shared living spaces or those with close proximity to neighbouring homes.

Verdict

While Audyssey in its basic forms promotes easy setup and operation, there’s plenty of scope for digging in and expanding your horizons with the MultEQ Editor app or MultEQ-X software.

With so many competing room correction systems, such as those from Yamaha (YPAO), Emotiva (Emo-Q), Lyngdorf (RoomPerfect), Trinnov (Trinnov Optimizer) and Anthem (ARC), you should read up on their potential advantages/disadvantages when compared to the Audyssey platform.

But because Audyssey is so simple to execute - with its delightful user interface and pleasing results – perhaps it’s not surprising that it’s still very much in contention after 20 years of great service to home cinema users.

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Check out all of our Home Cinema Week content

Here are the best AV receivers you can buy right now

Check out our Marantz Cinema 30 review

One of the best soundbars we have tested is the Sonos Arc – and although it has now been succeeded by the Sonos Arc Ultra, it's still an absolute belter.

While the five-star soundbar may have been quietly discontinued, you can secure some great price drops on the remaining stock; but none we have seen has been as good as this.

Right now, you can pick up the Sonos Arc for just £589 at Amazon. Though, only in White.

That's a crazy good price for the What Hi-Fi? Award winner that delivers convincing Dolby Atmos and dynamic, detailed and weighty sound.

So, upgrade your TV audio setup today for less (before it's too late).

Looking to level up your home cinema experience for less? The Sonos Arc is an incredibly competitive option, despite being succeeded by the Sonos Arc Ultra. And right now, it's a hell of a lot cheaper than the new arrival.

It's one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars we have tested, and it's packed with all the usual Sonos smarts.

There's touch-sensitive play/pause as well as volume controls on the bar. Plus, you can operate it via speech commands with its built-in Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa.

It is compatible with more than 25 apps including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV and more.

And if you're looking to bulk up your setup for true surround sound or a multi-room system, the Sonos Arc can be combined with other speakers, including the latest Era additions; the Era 100 and Era 300, which can be used as rear surrounds.

All these features led us to say in our full review: "Rarely does a device arrive that does so much and does it all so well. Even rarer that it remains a class leader almost three years after release. Be in no doubt; the Sonos Arc is a superb bit of kit."

For the price, it's a very competitive choice. But, that price is such, of course, because it has been discontinued. So, if you're thinking about picking up a Sonos Arc for just £589 at Amazon, you'll have to be quick.

MORE:

Read our full Sonos Arc review

And these are the best Dolby Atmos soundbars

Take a look at the Sonos Arc Ultra

The first proper soundbar What Hi-Fi? ever tested was the original Yamaha YSP-1 back in April 2005.

I can still remember the excitement around the product. Here was something that promised true home cinema sound, but all from a single neat box that sat under your television. If you weren’t a home cinema obsessive, it seemed an ideal solution.

The YSP-1 proved that the plethora of boxes and spaghetti of cabling that was considered part and parcel of every serious home cinema setup wasn’t essential.

That was around the time when the sales of flatscreen TVs were booming, so the idea of wall mounting one of these new-fangled soundbars below one of the then highly fashionable plasma TVs seemed so right.

That original YSP-1 was a sophisticated product for the time. Its clever beam-forming technology could direct the discrete channels of a 5.1 movie soundtrack very precisely, using reflections off the room’s side and rear walls to give a pretty decent impression of a full surround setup.

Given a regularly shaped space that didn’t have too much in the way of absorption on the walls, the results could be terrific. The only real deadspot in the soundfield was directly behind the listener (it seems that relying on reflections off the sidewalls gets you only so far).

But, at its best, the Yamaha really did make it feel like there were surround speakers on either side of us, a little behind our listening position.

Unfortunately, there were some issues with the product, too.

Less than ideal rooms, which let’s face it, are likely to be the majority of them, affected the Yamaha’s ability to generate a convincing soundfield to a fair degree. It didn’t take much to change the results from a disbelieving and positive ‘How does it do that?’ to slightly disappointed ‘What is it doing?’.

Also, despite the use of a pair of relatively large bass units, the YSP-1 never really managed to generate the low-end power and authority most users crave. However, the use of those generous bass drivers also meant that the YSP-1 was rather tall and relatively obtrusive if not wall-mounted.

And lastly, it proved hard for Yamaha to trickle down the complex YSP technology to much lower price points.

After all, the YSP-1’s 42 drivers and partnering power amplifiers (two watts per each of the 40 beam-forming drivers and 20 watts for each woofer) are never an easy thing to emulate. That first soundbar cost £800 back in 2005, which still feels like premium money today.

So as the years passed, Yamaha and the rest of the industry did what they always try to do with any new product category. They try to improve the performance by tackling the weaknesses of the original and finding ways of making it cheaper.

However, in that process, it feels as though the manufacturers have forgotten the prime attraction of the soundbar idea. It was meant to be a single, neat product that improved the sound from your TV. Minimal clutter in the living room is an essential part of that appeal.

While there are some products, such as those from Sonos, that retain a single chassis, many of the top contenders also include a separate subwoofer.

This certainly gets around the ‘lack of bass’ issue of single-chassis soundbars; but, in doing so, it adds an extra, often large box, while also causing potential issues with integration.

I haven’t seen anything as clever or sophisticated as that original Yamaha YSP multi-driver arrangement, despite the addition of Dolby Atmos to the spec sheets.

To a large extent, I suspect that is to do with cost. But, to compensate, many manufacturers have taken to offering wireless surrounds to take care of delivering an expansive soundfield.

It is important to note that the actual soundbars themselves in such a system tend to be far less ambitious in their engineering than the YSP-1.

Such combination systems do the job, of course, and in many cases put that earliest Yamaha implementation in the shade. But a separate surround-speakers solution adds significantly to the box count.

The whole point of that original soundbar was to avoid that clutter. Remember, it was specifically aimed at those who wanted a great movie sound without all the fuss and boxes of a typical separates setup.

The formula most manufacturers have settled on now feels curiously unsatisfactory, given most premium soundbar systems now consist of at least four boxes: the soundbar, subwoofer and a pair of surrounds.

All these components usually need access to mains power too. It turns out that few wireless speakers are actually that.

What we have now feels like a bit of a halfway house between a pure soundbar and a separates system. Like all such compromises, this can be seen as either the best of both worlds, or not quite right.

In performance terms, it is possible to argue that things have taken significant steps forward, and I certainly think that’s true. However, I can’t help but feel that by adding more boxes and complexity into the equation, the industry is in very real danger of alienating the very people that the original YSP-1 was aimed at.

That original design made a promise that the industry as a whole would seem intent on breaking.

MORE:

Check out all of our Home Cinema Week coverage

These are the best soundbars and best Dolby Atmos soundbars you can buy right now

Tell us your opinions on movies on discs vs streaming

As a person who has firmly entered middle age, there are many things I look back on with rose-tinted glasses.

Nu Metal.

Five-string bass guitars tuned in drop-A.

The entire original series of Power Rangers.

Ninja Turtles (or any other 80s / early 90s cartoon with a decent selection of action figures).

The list goes on. And, until last week, it would have included the faithful old movie format of choice from my childhood: VHS.

Younger readers may be confused at this point – my niece and nephew still haven’t quite got their heads around the concept of DVDs and Blu-rays, let alone cassettes. But if, like me, you were born in the 80s, VHS was the go-to format for movie watching.

Whether you were lucky enough to have a collection, rented them from your local store or were from a household rich enough to own a VCR and use them to record shows and films off live TV, VHS tapes ruled the roost during my teenage years.

Highlight memories for me include taking advantage of my older brother’s extra height to raid the top shelf of my Dad’s collection and watch completely age-inappropriate classics, including Terminator and It, before I had even hit double figures.

Or when my dad accidentally scarred me for life when he inadvertently taught me about death, buying us a copy of the original Transformers movie. (Whichever executive decided to brutally kill all the original Autobots in the opening scenes just to sell more toys deserves a special place in marketing infamy.)

Later, the fun hustle I would run, standing outside HMV trying to bribe older kids to buy me the 15- and 18-rated Manga VHS movies I wanted, after getting a taste for the genre watching the Sci-Fi (now rebranded Syfy) channel’s weekly midnight showings.

Yes, I am aware that these stories don’t show me as being a terribly well-behaved child.

The final example, coupled with some time in Hong Kong, is a key reason I still have a pretty sizeable anime collection, including some VHS copies of titles you can’t easily get anymore.

It’s also why, when I finally cleared all the stuff out of my room at my parents' house and rediscovered the tapes, I felt the need to dust them off and revisit some of the forgotten classics contained within.

But, if I knew then what I know now, I wouldn’t have bothered. For what then unfolded was a calamity of errors.

Starting off, I had to contend with the fact that I didn’t have a player. No problem. eBay exists for a reason, right? Yes, but once I got the tapes and player together, it all started to go wrong.

The player I had bought hadn’t been properly maintained, so there was dust and gunk in its motor. This meant I had to pop the hood and conduct a careful spruce with compressed air and more cotton buds than I care to count. I then had to invest in a head-cleaning tape – another eBay expense.

Once the full service was finally completed to my satisfaction, I only then realised that my LG C2 OLED doesn’t have a coaxial input. Another fresh order online, then, for the converter required.

Then, after days of waiting to watch Amon Saga, Perfect Blue and the rest of the pile of treasures I had unearthed, when I finally popped my first tape into the repaired VCR, the muddy funster spat it back out.

The tapes also needed cleaning – they had been stored in sub-optimal conditions for more than a decade after all – which meant another costly investment, this time in a tape-mould cleaner.

I won’t bore you with the specifics, but if you have ever tried to clean a tape with one of these, then you know it is not as easy as it looks. The fear I felt using it has probably taken years off my life.

Old tapes are very delicate, after all, and these machines are not terribly forgiving.

But then – finally! – I was ready to play my first restored tape, the original Vampire Hunter D.

And, wouldn't you know it, to add insult to injury, after all that, Hidive and Shudder released a remaster which laid bare the shortcomings of VHS at a technical level.

Everything was pixelated, full of noise (especially after the years of neglect), with washed-out colours and terrible, squashed sound. The experience was far from the immersive one I remember. And streaming the modern remaster at the same time made that all the more clear.

As I have mentioned before, the remastered version shows what a difference minor quality of life improvements can make.

Colours were rich and more detailed, and the added sharpness made details I had previously missed on the low-quality VHS copy – which was all I had previously seen – visible.

Blacks were better, and the improved audio mix meant I could actually hear the dialogue, even during heated action scenes.

Moving on to the second tape, history repeated itself. And it brought me to a sad, but important conclusion: VHS’s technical shortcomings are too big to overlook. Despite my fondness for the format, it should be left in the past.

Trust me, the end experience is not worth the effort, especially if the movie has since been released on disc or streaming.

MORE:

These are the best TVs we have tested

Our picks of the best soundbars

We rate the best projectors money can buy

At first glance, the BenQ W2720i looks as though it could be a tough sell.

Its built-in sound system, auto set-up, unusual AI-bolstered performance enhancements and Google TV smart platform make it look like a casual living-room projector. Yet its relatively high price, Filmmaker Mode, 2500 lumens of claimed peak light output and the fact that it has been fully calibrated before shipping make it look like a serious home theatre projector.

Meanwhile, its support for 120Hz feeds and a Fast mode for reducing input lag even get you wondering if it’s another one of BenQ’s dedicated gaming projectors.

The more you use the W2720i, though, the less it looks like a projector with an identity crisis and the more it looks like one of the finest projector all-rounders we have ever seen.

Price

On one hand, the BenQ W2720i’s £1999 / $2599 / AU$3299 price tag looks a little high for a projector which, in some ways at least, gives off a casual living-room vibe.

On the other hand, though, some of its specifications and features make the W2720i start to look a much more serious proposition than it first appears, to the point where its price actually starts to look like quite a bargain. Provided, of course, that its performance lives up to its on-paper promise.

The W2720i’s unusual positioning, with feet in two usually separate projector camps, makes direct competition hard to find. Based on price more than anything else, though, we should mention BenQ’s own X3100i and the Hisense C1.

The X3100i is a cute cube-shaped projector with a focus on gaming that also happens to excel with video, while the C1 is a really likeable living-room projector with good picture and (unusually) sound quality tucked inside a lovely metallic blue cubic design.

Design

While a fair bit larger than your average casual ‘coffee table’ projector, the W2720i is still quite pretty by projector standards.

Its edges are all nicely rounded off, its top edge enjoys a comely curve that further softens the projector’s presence, and the promisingly substantial, centrally placed lens is tucked within a neat recess adorned with silvery strip highlights.

Its smooth matt grey finish looks and feels more premium than those wrapped around many living room projectors, too.

The remote control that BenQ provides with the W2720i is equally attractive, thanks to a nicely rounded shape that sits comfortably in your hand, a premium white gloss finish, and a logical, spacious button layout.

The buttons are backlit, too, to make them easier to find in a dark movie-night environment.

Features

This is where the W2720i starts to get really interesting, mixing as it does features and specifications that would normally be found only shared across different projector types.

Its optics are built around a DLP system, illuminated by LED lamps claimed to deliver 30,000 hours of use without replacement. That’s enough for around 15,000 movies – or one movie every day for 40 years – unless you happen to be obsessed with Titanic and Killers Of The Flower Moon, anyway.

The LED lighting delivers up to a claimed 2500 lumens of peak brightness and a promising claimed dynamic contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1, while colour coverage is stated to achieve 90 per cent of the DCI-P3 HDR spectrum and 98 per cent of the Rec 709 SDR spectrum.

In keeping with BenQ’s more overtly home theatre-targeted projectors, the W2720i has been calibrated for accuracy in BenQ’s factory before shipping, with a certificate of calibration included in the box.

Fans of relatively accurate, ‘serious’ movie viewing experiences will also be pleased to hear that the W2720i carries a Filmmaker Mode designed to deliver images that stay true to the main established image standards.

The W2720i’s connections go further than those of most projectors by including three HDMIs, one of which provides ARC support for passing sound – including Dolby Atmos tracks – out to a connected AVR or soundbar, and one of which supports 4K/120Hz feeds (though not VRR) from a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X or suitably capable PC graphics cards.

Given the game-friendly nature of one of the HDMIs, though, it’s a pity that the W2720i doesn’t provide a dedicated Game mode as a shortcut to the projector’s most responsive settings.

There is a ‘Fast’ picture option that reduces the time the projector takes to render images, but when you select this it generates a message saying you also need to manually turn off a bunch of other features, including keystone correction, noise reduction and the projector’s 4K sharpness enhancement, to get the fastest response out of the projector. Which only underlines the feeling that it would surely have been better if BenQ had just set up a Game preset with all these adjustments done for you.

Making BenQ’s thinking here even more strange is the fact that if you set your games console or PC to feed the W2720i a 4K/120Hz HDR feed, the projector suddenly decides that it can actually automatically turn its noise reduction and motion enhancer 4K features off for you.

Your reward for following the Fast mode instructions and going to the trouble of turning off as much of the projector’s image processing tools as possible is an input lag time of just 17.8ms – a great result by projector standards.

Other connections include two USBs (one offering 2.5A of power for, say, a video streaming ‘stick’, and one media reader); RS232C and 12V trigger ports help you integrate the projector into a home entertainment control system; plus 3.5mm and digital optical audio output alternatives to the eARC HDMI route. Though the W2720i does also carry its own built-in 2x5W stereo speaker system.

For cable haters, the W2720i supports wi-fi, Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay and Google Cast. The wi-fi option is particularly important here, as this feeds the video streaming apps the projector carries as part of its integrated Android TV smart system. The W2720i is far from the first projector to incorporate Android TV, but it does make a better fist of it than any other projector we have seen to date.

For one thing, its Android TV implementation runs reasonably slickly and stably during our tests, without the myriad bugs and app failures we see all too often in the smart projector space. Even better, all the key video apps seem actually to be nativised to the projector’s capabilities, rather than any of them serving up lower-quality generic feeds from basic open website portals.

Even the W2720i can’t, of course, suddenly overcome Android TV’s blind spot when it comes to some of the UK’s main broadcaster catch-up services. So there are no functioning BBC iPlayer, All4 or ITVX apps, for instance.

The likes of Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Disney Plus, Netflix, YouTube, Discovery+ and Paramount+ are all present and correct, though, which will quite likely be enough for many households. And you can always add a relatively cheap streaming stick to cover those missing apps.

The W2720i supports high dynamic range playback from both its built-in streaming apps and external sources, with HDR10+ support joining the basic HDR10 and HLG formats. There’s no Dolby Vision support, but getting even one of the premium HDR formats on a projector is still quite rare.

The W2720i’s HDR credentials are boosted, too, by an HDR Pro system designed continually to optimise HDR10 and HLG pictures to the projector’s capabilities – a bit like the HDR dynamic tone mapping systems that many TVs carry these days.

The set-up process for the W2720i features an unusual but helpful combination of automated and manual options.

An auto screen-fit system adjusts the picture to match the size of your screen, while an AI Cinema Mode can automatically adjust the picture based on analysis of both the content you’re watching and the tone and level of light in your room. But there are also manual vertical optical image shift and 8-point geometry correction tools, plus a reasonably helpful 1.3x level of optical zoom.

The attractive on-screen menus also provide access to a ‘Cinemaster’ suite of adjustments, containing Colour Enhancer, Pixel Enhancer 4K, Motion Enhancer 4K, Global Contrast Enhancer and Local Contrast Enhancer options. While you need to handle these options with care, they actually add up to quite a useful set of picture fine-tuning tools.

While content support for 3D continues to dwindle, finally, the W2720i still provides playback support – assuming you sort yourself out with the necessary BenQ 3D glasses, of course.

Picture quality

Any lingering doubts about the W2720i’s talents potentially falling awkwardly between casual and serious home theatre stools are quickly and emphatically put to bed when we finally sette down to see what it can do.

So many aspects of the W2720i’s pictures feel right, in fact, that it’s actually hard to break them down into their constituent elements. We instead keep finding ourselves just getting caught up in what we are watching. This is, of course, exactly the experience you want from a projector – but we guess you want a bit more detail than that from the supposed professionals. So, with a deep breath, here goes.

First up, the W2720i’s pictures are phenomenally sharp. We hear those people who say DLP projectors like the W2720i don’t deliver truly native 4K resolutions, relying instead on pixel-shifting/double flashing technology to achieve a ‘virtual’ 4K image. But so crisp, detailed, pristine and full of texture and density are the W2720i’s pictures that they really do look 4K, even if pushed to prodigious image sizes. Nor is there anything artificial about this sharpness; it feels entirely natural and organic rather than the result of any sort of aggressive processing.

The sharpness holds up even during 24p movie action scenes thanks to some strikingly natural, cinematic handling of judder with a provided 24P True Cinema setting in play.

The W2720i excels, too, with contrast. Many projectors struggle to strike a convincing balance between the sort of relatively high brightness that HDR sources depend on and the sort of convincing black colours needed to make dark HDR scenes look as convincing and compelling as bright ones. For the most part, though, the W2720i strikes an excellent balance, as bright scenes and image areas enjoy plenty of punch and some surprisingly intense small light ‘peaks’, while dark scenes usually avoid excessive grey clouding and still contain enough shadow details to share the same depth you get with bright shots.

Again, there is typically nothing artificial or forced about the W2720i’s compelling contrast, either. Dark scenes even manage to look consistently stable, without any distracting flickering issues, despite the best picture settings relying on a dynamic contrast system where brightness is continually adjusted to deliver the best results.

The W2720i’s colours continue the natural theme. An impeccable sense of balance, for instance, ensures that no tones look forced or stand out too much against the rest. The projector can cover enough of the DCI-P3 spectrum, too, to mean that even the most vibrant areas of colour don’t look ‘rolled off’ or off-key, and the subtleties of colour tone that BenQ’s projector can deliver ensure that blends look smooth while objects in the picture look solid and three-dimensional.

Skin tones are particularly well handled, too, avoiding both that plasticky look and the green/red/jaundiced tones they can take on with less talented projectors.

Despite its wealth of HDR-friendly features, the W2720i adapts extremely well to SDR sources, and expertly turns its hand to gaming once you have activated the Fast mode and turned off the projector’s video-processing features.

The W2720i’s impressive array of truly nativised video streaming apps contributes to the most consistently excellent streamed picture quality we have seen from a smart projector. The sharpness, cleanliness, contrast and colour balance it achieves with 4K HDR streams from every major streaming app (though especially Netflix) is always a joy to behold.

It’s hard to find negative things to say about the W2720i’s pictures in the context of its price point. There are brighter projectors out there that can push HDR harder, though the W2720i’s ability to deliver real intensity to HDR’s brightest highlights while also achieving natural-looking black levels actually makes its 2500 lumens of light feel pretty perfectly judged. So really our only fair complaints are that relatively large bright highlights of HDR pictures can lack a little subtle shading detail, especially in Filmmaker Mode, and that the projector’s usually convincing dark scenes can suddenly grey out momentarily if a mostly very dark shot suddenly features an extremely bright highlight.

Neither of these issues occurs often enough, though, to count as a remotely big deal in the context of everything the W2720i gets right.

Sound quality

The W2720i’s built-in sound system isn’t exactly the most powerful we’ve heard. Even at maximum volume, the sound doesn’t get very loud at all, denying soundtracks anything like the sort of impact you want to go with the massive and punchy images the projector can provide.

It’s not all bad news, though. For one thing, the speakers can project dialogue, ambient effects and the sort of relatively trebly sounds that help good film soundtracks feel busy a decent distance away from the projector’s body.

This creates a larger sound stage than most projector sound systems manage, as well as making some of the sound seem to be coming from at least somewhere in the vicinity of the on-screen action.

Low-frequency sounds don’t escape the projector’s bodywork quite as readily, which can leave loud scenes sounding a bit dislocated.

There’s quite a nice tone to bass sounds, though, and while the speakers can’t get loud, they do at least avoid distortion and dropouts.

So, while you’ll want to find some sort of external audio solution for serious film nights, the W2720i can work OK as a standalone all-in-one solution for casual occasions.

Verdict

The W2720i does an outstanding job of straddling the usually incompatible worlds of serious and casual home cinema/home entertainment projection.

Indeed, this is a remarkable all-rounder that is more than good enough to make its asking price look like a steal.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 3
• Features 4

MORE:

Also consider the BenQ X3100i, Hisense C1 and Epson EH-TW7100

These are the best projectors you can buy right now

Acer has rolled out a fresh projector line-up that covers everything from pocket-money purchases to slightly beefier home cinema setups.

The standout budget option is the Acer QH15S, which can be snapped up for £120. Naturally, you’re not getting 4K or even Full HD for that price. Instead, a 720p resolution is paired with 6500 lumens of brightness and a 3W speaker.

Despite its compact size, you’ll still need to plug it in, but its 600g weight should make it easy enough to carry around. HDMI, USB, and microSD make for versatile connectivity options. And if you want built-in apps, check out our list of the best streaming devices.

Elsewhere, Acer also launched the convolutedly named AOPEN QF16ATV. Available now for £350, it brings Full HD and Android TV for easy access to apps like Netflix, YouTube, and more.

Serving up a maximum 100-inch, it also has a pair of 10W speakers. A built-in handle makes carrying its 3kg weight around a breeze, though again, you’ll need a power cable.

There’s also the more premium Acer Vero PL3510ATV, which can currently be snapped up on offer directly from Acer for £809 (a £491 saving off its listed £1300 RRP).

Its 2K resolution offers a sharper experience than its cheaper siblings, and Acer claims it uses sustainable materials and energy-efficient components without sacrificing performance.

Acer is also pushing what it calls an "outdoor-ready ecosystem" – essentially pairing projectors with solar panels, portable power stations, and 5G hotspots for off-grid entertainment.

We’ve yet to put any of the above through their respective paces, but there’s certainly no shortage of competition in the likes of something like the Xgimi MoGo 4.

If you’re after something to while way the upcoming hot summer nights though, then they may be worth a look.

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The Hisense PL1 ultra short-throw projector won a well-deserved What Hi-Fi? Award in 2024, but with the arrival of the PL2 earlier this year, it now has competition from its very own successor.

Both projectors use the same X-Fusion Laser Technology to beam their big pictures onto your wall, and telling them apart requires very close inspection, but there are technical differences between the two.

We’ve had both the PL1 and PL2 in our testing rooms, and with five-star scores being awarded to both, you might be wondering which one you should allow to live in your lounge.

That’s why we’ve used those reviews to compare them on price, design, features, picture and sound, so you can make a fully informed decision.

• Xgimi MoGo 4 vs Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air: which projector is better?

Hisense PL1 vs Hisense PL2: price

Both the PL1 and PL2 were originally launched with prices of £1999 / $2500, but neither will set you back anywhere close to that now.

The arrival of the PL2 saw a drop in price for the PL1, but the PL2 is also now available for a lot less, meaning the gap between the two is now fairly small. The PL2 is generally available for around £1600 / $2000, but we’ve seen it drop as low as £1399 in the UK, while the PL1 is typically available for £1500 / $1500.

The bigger issue is likely to be availability. There aren’t many places that stock the PL1 anymore, particularly in the UK, whereas the newer, better-specced PL2 is easy to find.

Given this, and the relatively minor price discrepancy, we don’t think buying the PL1 over the PL2 would represent a genuine saving, so we’re going to give this one to the PL2.

**Winner: Hisense PL2**

Hisense PL1 vs Hisense PL2: design

Put these two side by side and it’s very clear they’re related, with the same mesh grille on the front and triangular cutout vents on the side. In fact, at a glance, it’s genuinely tough to tell them apart, but if you break out the tape measure, you will find some differences.

Measuring 12 x 53 x 34cm, the PL2 is actually a bit smaller in all directions than the PL1 (above), which comes in at 16 x 55 x 37cm. In reality, that difference is negligible and will only make a difference if the space you’ve got is particularly restricted.

There are no physical lens controls on either of these projectors. Instead, you have to upload a picture of your screen to a website and allow an auto-correction system to adjust it for you remotely, although we achieved the best results by tweaking it afterwards using the adjustable feet on both models.

Most importantly, both of these projectors will easily fit into your setup without being distracting, which is exactly what they’re designed to do. With its slightly more compact chassis, though, we’re going to give this one to the PL2.

**Winner: Hisense PL2**

Hisense PL1 vs Hisense PL2: features

It might be smaller, then, but the PL2 has still been upgraded in a number of key areas.

The most noticeable one is the brightness, which has been boosted from 2100 ANSI lumens on the PL1 to 2700 on the PL2, while the maximum image size is also larger: 150 inches compared to 120 inches.

Both do 4K at 60Hz, which might disappoint some gamers hoping for a higher refresh rate, but the PL2 can manage 1080p at 120Hz if you’re willing to sacrifice some resolution for a more responsive gameplay experience.

HDR support is the same on both – Dolby Vision, HDR10 (and 10+) and HLG.

Around the back of each projector, you will find two HDMI 2.1 sockets (one that has eARC), an ethernet port and two USBs (one 3.0, one 2.0).

Hisense has also found space for an extra HDMI socket on the PL2 (above). It’s only HDMI 2.0, but it does give you more input options if you’re using the eARC port for a soundbar.

If you buy either a PL1 or PL2 in the USA, it will come with Google TV, but elsewhere you’ll get Hisense’s own VIDAA software running the show.

We would prefer they all used the former as the latter is a little clunky, but not disastrously so, and we have no complaints when it comes to app support. Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+ are all there for you to use, although only the PL1 supports Apple AirPlay if you want to send something wirelessly from your phone.

**Winner: Hisense PL2**

Hisense PL1 vs Hisense PL2: picture

Upgraded specs don’t always translate to a meaningfully better performance, particularly when the price is also higher, but the PL2 (above) is a clear step up over the PL1 when it comes to picture performance – although only if you fiddle with the settings a bit first.

In Filmmaker mode, with the Warm 2 colour profile selected, the PL2 is capable of delivering one of the best pictures you’ll find from an ultra short-throw projector at this price. The extra brightness is particularly noticeable, adding more impact and vibrancy to the explosions and large expanses of desert in Denis Villeneuve’s epic Dune: Part 2.

Scenes that demand a high level of contrast between light and dark don’t look quite as vibrant, particularly when upscaling, and there are times when its middling black levels become more apparent, but overall, the PL2’s picture is generally balanced and consistent.

That doesn’t mean the PL1 is suddenly a bad performer. The picture it produces is sharp, punchy and cinematic, and it never fails to keep up with the frantic chase sequences in Baby Driver. There’s a pleasing level of depth to the image and a nice level of detail, even if black levels can’t compete with those you’d get from one of the best OLED TVs.

When it comes down to it, though, the PL2 is our winner here: bigger, brighter and just that bit better all round.

**Winner: Hisense PL2**

Hisense PL1 vs Hisense PL2: sound

Both of these projectors have the same 2x 15W sound system built-in, with front-facing drivers that promise more than they can deliver.

The PL1 (above) and PL2 boast Dolby Atmos certification, but no matter whether you put them in Standard or Theatre mode, there’s little in the way of height or width, although the latter does sound a little more spacious.

Dialogue clarity is more impressive, and we’d argue that should be the priority with built-in speakers on devices like these anyway. If the overall performance isn’t going to be top notch, at least make sure you can hear what’s being said over any background noise.

Neither projector is capable of generating a huge amount of bass, and if you turn the volume up too much on the PL2, things start to distort, while the PL1 doesn’t offer much in the way of detail or dynamics.

As UST speakers go, this is about par for the course. If you just want to watch the news, they’ll do just fine, but the whole point of owning a projector is to make your viewing more cinematic, so budgeting for a separate sound system is essential, whichever model you opt for.

**Winner: Draw**

Hisense PL1 vs Hisense PL2: verdict

By taking everything we loved about the Award-winning PL1 and refining it, Hisense has delivered a UST projector that offers even more bang for your buck.

The audio performance is still mediocre, but with spec upgrades that translate to a picture performance that’s brighter and goes even bigger, and a price that’s already only slightly higher than that of the PL1, it’s easy to recommend the newer model over the old one.

With the PL1 getting harder to find as time goes on, it might actually be availability that makes this decision for you, but even if you found a shop selling both, we’d still go for the PL2 (above) every time.

**Overall Winner: Hisense PL2**

MORE:

These are the best projectors we’ve reviewed

After weeks of testing, I've identified the biggest problem I have with UST projectors

Best outdoor projectors 2025: top models reviewed and rated

To celebrate our Home Cinema Week, which runs from 30th June to 6th July, we want to hear from you about how you watch films and TV shows.

We all know that streaming has only gone from strength to strength in the last few years, with the likes of Netflix and Disney Plus becoming the norm for how some households watch their favourite movies.

Watching on streaming services does not take up any physical space and, if you watch a lot of films, you can end up spending far less money streaming movies and shows in the long run.

But the purists among us (team What Hi-Fi? included) often prefer to watch on 4K Blu-ray. That is because the bit rate, or amount of data processed per second, is generally higher than that of streaming, which results in better overall picture and sound quality.

It is also rather lovely to be able to hold your favourite film in your hands, and to own it to watch whenever you want, instead of worrying when it will be taken off your preferred streaming platform.

That’s why our TV and AV test room contains multiple shelves of 4K Blu-rays. Enough about us, though, we want to hear from you!

We would love to know how you consume movies and TV shows these days.

Do you find yourself relying on streaming services more and more, or do you still prefer buying a physical copy?

Or is your collection from the days before streaming now gathering dust?

Maybe you buy physical discs more to collect rather than watch? This is a no-judgment zone, so don’t worry.

Speaking of collecting, how do you feel about limited edition discs such as Steelbooks?

We want your answers to all these questions, and your wider thoughts on physical media and streaming. We'll pull together the best responses for a feature to be published at the end of Home Cinema Week.

You can post your thoughts in the comments section of this page, on our social media channels or directly on our forums.

Thank you in advance for your contributions!

MORE:

Welcome to What Hi-Fi?'s Home Cinema Week 2025

Are Dolby Atmos soundbar systems killing affordable home cinema speaker packages?

Here are the best 4K Blu-ray players you can buy right now

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

Our picks of the best AV receivers

We rate the best projectors

The 2025 edition of our annual Home Cinema Week has now ended – but it's not too late to enjoy all of the special home cinema content we published.

You will find all of that below. Enjoy, and stay tuned for Home Cinema Week 2026!

Monday

Are Dolby Atmos soundbar systems killing affordable home cinema speaker packages?

Discs or streaming: how do you watch your favourite films and TV shows?

Acer’s new projectors promise big-screen movie experiences for buyers on a budget

Hisense PL1 vs Hisense PL2: which of these UST projectors deserves a place in your lounge?

5.1 vs 7.2 surround sound: which is better?

Projector screens: everything you need to know

How to build the perfect home cinema system

BenQ W2720i review

Tuesday

I dug up my VHS collection – and after six weeks of AV hell, I'm putting the final nail back in its coffin

Have soundbars forgotten their true purpose?

My local cinema recently closed down – now I really wish I'd visited it more often

What is Audyssey? Our ultimate guide to the room correction built into your Denon or Marantz AV receiver

6 ways to get near-perfect Dolby Atmos sound in an imperfect room

Behind the scenes in our AV testing facility – here are the reference home cinema products we use every single day

Wednesday

JBL MA7100HP AV receiver review

After hours of measuring, I have come to the conclusion that full-fat Dolby Atmos doesn't work in normal homes

The top-rated movie of 2025 with 100% on Rotten Tomatoes hits home streaming this week

Sony's latest flagship OLED TV out-muscles its rivals in an often overlooked area

Which TVs have the best sound (as well as great pictures)?

How to calculate the right viewing distance for your TV

How to optimise your 4K TV settings for Blu-ray, DVD and TV viewing

13 of the best musical movies to test your surround sound system

JBL MA7100HP review

Thursday

How to get the ultimate cinema experience – without breaking the bank

I watched Dune: Part Two in a virtual reality cinema, and it rekindled my love for the silver screen

14 ways to upgrade your home cinema without spending a fortune

BenQ's excellent new projector inspired us to build a full home cinema that dazzles with movies and games

The LG C4 is on sale, but if you're on a tight budget, we'd go for this OLED TV instead

Apple TV 4K fourth-gen: what to expect from Apple's next video streamer

Loewe launches its largest and most premium OLED TV to date. Is this the XL TV home cinema enthusiasts have been waiting for?

Yes, you can get a decent TV for around £100 this Prime Day

Canvas HiFi Canvas 65 review

8 great TV title songs that are too good to skip – and sound great on your AV system

Friday

This hidden gem is more than just a cinema; it has become my film Mecca

3 reasons why video streaming devices remain relevant TV upgrades – but probably not for long

We asked you, What Hi-Fi?'s readers, if movies are better streamed or on a disc – and your responses made one thing clear

How to set up your AV receiver and get the best sound

We asked top AV engineers for their favourite movie scenes to test your home cinema

Optoma UHZ68LV review

28 Years Later is my film of the year – and here's why I think it will make an awesome test disc

Samsung HW-Q990F review

Saturday

I've been charmed by the experimental projectors of 2025, but I'm not willing to live with their compromises

Sunday

My dream Dolby Atmos soundbar combines the best bits from JBL, Samsung, Sonos and Sony

If, like us, you are a home cinema enthusiast, there's the potential for every night to be movie night.

So, it's only natural, over years of watching, to make a list of your favourite test scenes, those four or five-minute clips that will show off your home cinema system when friends and family come around.

But what if your day job was to design and build the products that actually immerse us in the on-screen action?

We have reached out to some of the biggest brands in the business to ask which test scenes their own engineers use to help them refine and perfect the performance of their products, whether it's a speaker package, AV receiver or projector.

Below, you will find a list of test scenes – some classics, some completely new to us – that give a fascinating insight into what these engineers are looking for.

You might even find a good excuse to add one or two new movies to your own collection...

Andy Kerr - Director Product Marketing and Communications, Bowers & Wilkins

Warfare

It’s not the easiest movie to watch – at times, the atmosphere of tense, impending doom is almost unbearable – but when the action does finally kick in during Warfare, the soundtrack’s dynamics are simply extraordinary.

Most film soundtracks carefully balance the true intensity of gunfire against the requirements of other aspects of soundtrack design – for example, the need to preserve dialogue clarity.

Not so Warfare: it’s a visceral, brutal listen that really tests both the power of your AVR and the dynamic range of your speakers and subwoofer.

Mad Max: Fury Road

The opening sequence – we must have watched this a thousand times. Obviously, the scale and space of Tom Hardy’s voiceover is a huge part of the appeal, but it’s all the off-screen whispered, half-muttered asides that really make this sequence stand out.

It’s room-fillingly huge and full of spatial cues that leap from the screen and into your room even on a regular, non-Atmos system. Then, of course, you’ve also got that famous V8 Interceptor and its wailing supercharger…

Yoshinori Ogata – Sound Master, Marantz

Elvis Presley (2022) Chapter 3 – Baby, Let’s Play House

This is the first singing scene in the film and it includes a monologue, dialogue on stage, and background noise from the audience, offering many elements to check besides the singing itself.

The Greatest Showman (2017) Chapter 11 – Never Enough

This scene features a performance in an opera house, singing in front of an orchestra. It includes a conversation in the audience, a quiet scene before the singing starts, and a build-up in volume towards the end of the song. I check the signal-to-noise ratio and ensure there is no distortion or collapse as the performance reaches its climax.

No Time to Die (2021) – Chapter 3/4

At the start of this chapter, 007 stands at the grave and is caught in an explosion, temporarily losing his hearing. The sound effects vividly convey this, and the contrast between this and normal scenes is a key listening point.

Following this, there is a car chase with intense sounds such as screeching tyres, engine noise, and gunfire, typical of action films.

At the end of this scene, there is an effect where the sound of a bell moves from the back to the front, overhead, which is another key listening point.

Stephen Dean - Product & Marketing Lead, Yamaha Home Audio (UK)

Le Mans ’66 / Ford v Ferrari (2019) – 40 Lap Race, or Mr Ford’s Test Drive

Both of these scenes do a great job of putting you amongst roaring engines. The 40 Lap Race, where we first encounter Ken Mile, gives a real sense of space and spectacle, balancing the racing action with an energetic crowd and other environmental sounds.

Meanwhile, Mr Ford’s test drive has real high-octane intensity – closing you in on the adrenaline-pumping cockpit of the car, where a good Atmos system can leave you feeling as breathless as Ford himself.

The Greatest Showman (2017) – The Greatest Show

A lot of people like ‘Never Enough’ from this musical movie, and it’s a great choice that can test the subtleties of a system, but the opening number does a great job of putting it through its full paces.

With a boisterous score and so much happening on screen, this scene helps you check how accurate the positioning is in your system – hearing every flying performer, trotting horse, and thrown dagger, in the space they should be, as the camera sweeps through Barnum’s circus.

Soul (2020) – Joe Gets the Gig

As a music company, we like to make sure that our AV systems render music just as well as cinematic scale. This scene from the start of Soul after Joe gets the gig (before meeting his untimely end), gives us some great light and shade.

Jon Batiste’s jazz-infused score for Earth is delicately balanced against some diegetic sounds that help test positioning, before Trent Reznor’s new-age compositions come along and gives us an enveloping sense of scale in the Beyond. A real good test of dynamic ability.

Paul White – Head of Product Management, Visual Instruments, Epson Europe

The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) – Chapter 7

This scene in Times Square, shows a difficult high-contrast scene that provides a good test of a projector’s HDR capabilities, with bright neon at night time, the detail and colour gradation of the neon panels against the night-time sky allows for suitable comparisons and a test of HDR performance.

Lion King (2019 – Live Action) – Chapter 1

This scene featuring Mufasa, allows us to freeze the frames and look at the detail within the lion’s fur, whiskers and eyes – all providing an examination of the projector’s resolution-reproduction and sharpness that can be enjoyed with highly detailed scenes. It's key to being able to show intricate details and fine textures accurately.

Oblivion (2013) – Chapter 8

The scene with Morgan Freeman is one of my favourite scenes to be able to really test contrast ratio performance. Initially, Morgan Freeman is in total darkness; then he lights his cigar with a match, providing illumination to his face and glasses.

However the light from the match is very bright and the details that you want to see are subtle, while the background remains totally dark. The differences between the light on his face, the glare on his glasses and the totally black background are a real test.

David Bosch – Senior Research & Development Engineer, KEF

Blade Runner (1982) – Deckard meets Rachel

One of the few examples in film history in which the soundtrack seamlessly merges into the film to become a soundscape, and one never knows where the futuristic dystopian sounds of Vangelis’s music end and when the character’s personalities begin.

Maybe this is the reason why the official soundtrack includes large pieces of the film’s dialogue. Any scene in this film is a masterpiece, but the scene in which Deckard and Rachel meet is so sonically meaningful for the rest of the story, and with a few sentences, drones and pads, the atmosphere is set for the rest of the film.

Tron Legacy (2010) – Entering The Grid scene

This scene introduces both Sam (Flynn’s son) and us into “The Grid”. This is done masterfully through the epic synths and brass section by Daft Punk, delivering one of the most timeless modern soundtracks that blends the worlds of film score and electronic music, which has already become a classic.

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) – The Star Gate sequence scene

Undeniably one of the most iconic, fascinating and timeless scenes of film history. This powerful scene sees Dave being a passenger through space and time in a whirlpool of speed and colour delivered by the eery and chilly otherworldly music of György Ligeti’s Requiem for Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, 2 Mixed Choirs & Orchestra.

Donnie Darko (Director’s Cut) (2004) – The school bus scene

Possibly my favourite film soundtrack, because it’s just such a simple but carefully curated list of 80s songs that hit a particular zeitgeist. In this scene, Head Over Heels by Tears for Fears plays prominently while a slow-motion panning camera introduces us to all the parties involved in what will be Donnie’s demise throughout the film. I don’t know many other scenes that so eloquently use one song to put the whole story into motion.

Shinichi Yamauchi – Sound Master, Denon

Interstellar (2014) – Chapter 9

An extraordinary scene where a second Earth is sought from another galaxy amidst the crisis of human extinction.

We check if the abnormal gravity on the spaceship as it passes through the wormhole, the impacts it encounters, and the creaking sounds inside the ship are well expressed to convey the reality and sense of dread.

Additionally, we ensure that the sense of freedom and floating sensation after safely passing through the wormhole is clearly shown.

Unbroken (2014) – Chapter 1

This is one of the earliest works in Dolby Atmos, but its high level of craftsmanship has not faded even after ten years. It is an excellent piece of content that allows you to feel the realism as if you are actually in a fighter plane.

We check whether the sense of the Zero fighter’s movement is seamlessly flying in all directions throughout the theatre, and how accurately that sense of speed is conveyed.

Additionally, we assess whether the numerous explosives scattered across the soundstage are positioned appropriately in relation to the screen when they burst.

Mission Impossible (Rogue Nation) (2015) – Chapter 4

An elegant opera is playing in the background, right up to the death struggle and gunfight scenes that unfold just behind the stage, and both the action and the music reach their climax beautifully.

The key to playback is to have both the clarity and subtlety of the music and the sharpness and dynamism of the action scenes at a high level, and you will experience a sense of immersion and entertainment that is hard to describe.

Phil Millross – Business Manager & Mix Engineer, PMC Pro

Top Gun Maverick (2022) – Chapter 14, Dog fight scene

Towards the end of the movie, the dog-fight scene creates the feeling of a claustrophobic cockpit with excellent vocals, even though the pilots' voices are recorded from within their oxygen masks.

The fighter jets' sound design, separation, and panning ensure that you feel like you are in the cockpit of Tom Cruise's FA-18 Super Hornet. It is an excellent test of dynamics and, on a great system, almost gives you motion sickness!

The Dark Knight (2008) – Chapter 1, Bank heist

The opening scene of the movie is an oldie but a goodie. The soundscape is staggering, blending subtle and punchy sound effects and the 'metronome-style ticking' within Hans Zimmer's score.

The atmosphere builds impressively until the bank robbery scene concludes with an epic school bus crashing through the wall. Each sound is clean, well-defined, and has been meticulously crafted to create an all-encompassing immersive sound stage.

House of Dragon (2022) – Episode 9, Season 1, Meleys’ final roar

The music in this series is a beautiful cinematic score by Ramin Djwadi. You hear the roar of the dragon Syrax in episode 1, but the final roar of Meleys in episode 9, season 1 is a real test of a system. It is a special memory for me as I was at Warner Brothers during the final mix, and that part stood out.

The sound design is exceptional as each dragon has its own individual sonic texture and character, some subtle and some not. This scene is a prime example of well-crafted impact and scale; we can't wait to see what season 2 has in store.

James Todd – Senior Global Product Line Manager, Harman Luxury Audio

Monsters, Inc. (2001) – Door chase

Home Cinema is for the whole family, and this is a personal favourite as I am a fan of Pixar movies from this era.

The soundtrack for this film is remarkable, and this scene highlights it with the dynamic sounds of slamming doors, Boo’s giggles echoing around the massive warehouse, and the rush of the roller coaster ride of the door-moving mechanisms.

Get this scene right with well-optimised subwoofers for dynamics and the right speaker array for that sense of scale inside the huge warehouse.

Hanz Zimmer Live in Prague (2017) – Pirates of the Caribbean Suite

One doesn’t need to listen to the entire suite when evaluating the performance of an immersive system, but it is hard not to. It’s a dynamic and rambunctious suite with a soft middle. The first and final pieces are orchestral layers of raspy brass with pounding drums and a choir to finish, all led by Tina Guo on cello.

When testing a system, it is ideal for evaluating subwoofer configuration and channel balance, as all loudspeakers are busy delivering the dynamics of this music performance into a room.

Ready Player One (2018) – The race

We have been using Ready Player One for evaluation and demonstrations for nearly six years because of its incredible Dolby Atmos soundtrack. This scene is a classic go-to for highlighting subwoofer dynamics, front loudspeaker dynamics, and fast-moving immersive audio. A great system will have no limits while not perforating your eardrums with distortion.

Peter Comeau and the Wharfedale design team

The Dark Knight (2008) – Joker’s lorry flip

This is one of the Wharfedale design team’s go-to test scenes for speakers and subwoofers.

The brilliant soundtrack, composed by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard, keeps viewers engaged and their hearts pumping. For all-round dynamics, this scene really tests the mettle of your speaker system.

When the second bazooka shot is fired by the Joker, played by the brilliant Heath Ledger, and Batman arrives to do his thing, the movie really gets going!

Fast forward to 1hr 18m and when the Joker’s lorry does a front flip, your subwoofer(s) should shake the room, likely inducing a noise complaint from your neighbours!

Baby Driver (2017) – Bank heist getaway

The synchronisation of music with the on-screen events of the opening scene creates a compelling experience, demonstrating the power of a well-curated soundtrack in film storytelling.

Any home cinema system truly able to pull off this soundtrack requires an abundance of scale, pace, timing, dynamic ability and midrange expression, creating an engaging soundfield and immersing the viewer in the music’s energy without biting their ears off.

MORE:

This week: celebrating Home Cinema Week on What Hi-Fi?

The nine best musical movies to test your surround sound system

14 ways to upgrade your home cinema without spending a fortune

The ideal home cinema sound system may not be what you think it is

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

MORE:

These are the best Dolby Atmos soundbars we've reviewed

We rate the best surround sound packages

Check out our picks of the best AVRs

It's a sad fact of life that even some of the best TVs have terrible sound quality. Some, but not all.

Because, thankfully, a few of them sound pretty good. Not as good as one of the best soundbars or best surround sound systems, certainly, but miles better than the competition.

They're not one-trick ponies, either. As well as sounding great, they look pretty stunning too, with excellent picture quality. Because what good is great sound quality if the picture is an insult to your eyes?

So if you don't want a separate sound system for reasons of space, budget, aesthetics or principle, check out the best-sounding TVs below. Your ears will thank you.

Sony Bravia 8 II

The Bravia 8 II has the same actuator-based sound system as the A95L, which is, in a word, fantastic.

It features two actuators that vibrate the screen in order to create sound, along with two subwoofers on bass duties. On set up, the Acoustic Calibration exercise helps make the sound more spacious, making it closer to a virtual surround sound effect.

Considering the sound is coming from the screen, the results are stunning. It's a proper room-filling sound, with the audio and picture linked in a way that rival systems can't match.

"There’s excellent detail, too, and enough dynamic nuance to convey the emotion in an actor's performance," we wrote in our review. "Bigger dynamic shifts are also handled well, with chapter two of Blade Runner 2049 building steadily where rival sets sound flat."

It's not the last word in bass, but it is sufficiently weighty and – crucially – remains composed where others flounder.

This is one of the few TVs that won't be improved by a cheap soundbar – you'll need to spend a bit more to better this set's audio.

Read the full Sony Bravia 8 II review

Philips OLED909

The 909 'only' scored four stars in our review, but for sound, it's a five from us.

Like the OLED908 before it, it has a sound system designed by British hi-fi stalwarts Bowers & Wilkins – a 3.1 channel 81W arrangement comprising a front-firing speaker bar arrangement and a subwoofer.

It supports a range of audio formats, too, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.

The results are a cut above most OLED TVs we review.

Sound is clear and punchy, with surprisingly solid dynamics. It verges on the lean side from time to time, but it's still impressive for a TV.

The bass is impressive too. While not on a par with a separate subwoofer as part of a surround sound system, it still provides pulsating low-end effects with ample depth.

The Dolby Atmos spatial effects also work. "It’s not as directional as an external sound system, but we can hear the B&W speakers attempt to shift the sound around in a fairly organic fashion in order to replicate a sense of space," we wrote in our review.

And the sound is pleasingly musical, as you would expect from B&W. Vocals are clear and timing is on point. Which can't be said of most TVs that grace our test rooms.

Read the full Philips OLED909 review

• Dolby Atmos: what is it? How can you get it?
• What is DTS:X? Which devices have it?

Panasonic Z95A

Panasonic's second-gen Micro Lens Array OLED TV is one of the best the brand has ever made, not just visually, but sonically too.

True, it has the same 5.1.2-channel 160W, speaker system as its predecessor, the MZ2000. But Panasonic promises improved audio thanks to Technics' '360 Soundscape Pro' tuning and the TV chip's enhanced processing.

There's also a Space Tune feature, which optimises the sound to your room.

It works a treat. Audio has plenty of attack, with low-end rumbles pleasingly free from distortion. The audio also provides a slight sense of height on occasions, though it's minimal compared to a decent Dolby Atmos soundbar.

It can lack directionality at times, somewhat compromising the spatial effect. Against a decent soundbar, it will struggle. But compared to most TVs? It's head and shoulders above.

Read the full Panasonic Z95A review

Panasonic Z95A vs MZ2000: how new and old flagship OLED TVs compare

MORE:

How to improve your TV's sound: options for better audio

Find out how to choose and set up a soundbar

The best Dolby Atmos soundbars

Dolby Atmos is a complex surround sound solution that can be tricky to get your head around.

This is largely because, despite starting out as hardcore technology designed for multi-speaker systems and bespoke install set-ups, it has since become a common feature in many soundbars, and even in-built TV speaker systems.

Having the ability to deal with the technology is all well and good. But, after reviewing more products with the Atmos logo slapped on than we care to count, we can categorically state that there’s a massive gulf between good and bad examples of the breed.

The hardware you are using plays a huge part in whether you get the former or the latter, but the level of performance also has to do with how you set your system up. It’s a process that requires attention to a variety of factors.

To guide you through the process, and to help you avoid the most common pitfalls, this guide offers six key tips and tricks to make the most of your Dolby Atmos hardware. After all, when you get it right, there’s little better than enjoying a true “dome of sound” home cinema experience.

1. Move your TV into a better position

Where your TV is in your room often has a big impact on the position of any speakers, so it figures that by getting your TV into a better position, you’ll make a big step towards potentially better sound.

One of the trickiest positions for a TV to be in when it comes to adding speakers is shoved into a corner on an angle, so if this is your current setup, consider ways you could make it more centralised in your room. Perhaps you could look to move some furniture around or consider wall-mounting if the room layout or available floor space is too restrictive.

We largely advise against mounting TVs above a fireplace in an ideal situation, but that’s not the brief here. If it’s your only option, just be sure you’re using the right wall mount so it tilts or extends downwards to ensure your viewing position is correct, and that you’re following the manufacturer’s guidelines for placement if the fire will still be in use.

2. Mount your speakers

In a perfect room, you would have speakers in the manufacturer’s recommended positioning, but in an imperfect one, it’s about getting speakers as close to those recommendations as you can.

Your amplifier’s calibration will do some of the heavy lifting in terms of balancing the sound to your listening position, but if floor space for stands is tight, consider wall-mounting your speakers to get them into a decent position – avoid placing any Atmos speakers on a bookshelf since any obstruction above them could hamper their performance.

Instead, ceiling mounts or on-ceiling speakers are also a great option for getting an effective height channel for Atmos, particularly for anyone with high ceilings who might not hear the effect of an upwards-firing Atmos speaker add-on so effectively. It also saves you having to make massive holes in your ceiling to install the built-in options, which is generally preferred by anyone not undertaking a massive renovation project.

3. Consider a soundbar – particularly for low ceilings

Dolby Atmos soundbars are getting better and better. If a traditional Atmos speaker set-up simply isn’t going to work for your room, consider one of our favourite Dolby Atmos soundbars – it’s a great alternative that brings you much of the performance of a full setup in a far more convenient package.

We prefer the performance from Atmos soundbars with proper upwards-firing drivers, such as the Sonos Arc Ultra, over those that recreate those height channels virtually.

In fact, Dolby itself recommends a soundbar such as this over dedicated height speakers for rooms with relatively low ceilings (under 7.4ft).

We have, though, also heard some pretty convincing virtual Atmos performances, such as that offered by the Sonos Beam Gen 2. These soundbars are usually more affordable, too.

4. Go bigger with wireless Dolby Atmos surrounds

If you want a halfway house between a soundbar and a full fat 5.1.2 set-up there are also several good Dolby Atmos soundbar systems on the market.

These are systems that marry wireless satellite speakers and a subwoofer with a soundbar, giving a more true surround sound than a single-bar solution.

Manufacturers including LG, Sonos and Samsung offer this kind of set-up, either as a package (the Samsung Q990F is a great example) at the point of purchase or as add-ons along the way (the usual Sonos approach).

The wireless speakers do differ in size depending on which one you choose (the Sonos Era 300 is pretty chunky, for example) so consider the space you have to play with when deciding on a soundbar system.

5. Keep an eye on Dolby Atmos FlexConnect

Dolby Atmos FlexConnect is a new technology that is set to become more mainstream this year.

The tech was announced at IFA 2023 and it could just be the perfect answer for anyone looking to include Atmos in an imperfect room.

You can read more about it in our, 'What is Dolby Atmos FlexConnect?' article, but, in a nutshell, FlexConnect wants to do away with the idea of traditional speaker placement and aims to produce a cohesive Atmos sound no matter how many speakers you have in your room – or where they are placed.

It’s adaptive too, so if you move a speaker it will change its sound to suit the new placement. FlexConnect was supposed to launch in 2024, but didn’t make much noise – see what we did there – due to the lack of compatible hardware.

Since then, though, TCL – which was the official launch partner – has confirmed that the technology will appear in its 2025 QD-Mini LED sets. We will, of course, update you on our findings when we get them in for review, and discover whether FlexConnect lives up to its opening promise.

6. Understand your limitations

While 7.2.4 channels might be your goal, in a small room, or with a sofa that has to be against a back wall, you might be better off sticking with 5.1.2, or you could be wasting money paying for speakers that won’t deliver a benefit.

While Dolby’s extensive recommendations on speaker placement are based on the perfect room, they're still worth looking at – even if you take them with a pinch of salt and adapt them to suit your room. It will give you a good starting point to see what's going to make the most sense in your room – imperfect and all.

MORE:

Dolby Atmos: What is it? How can you get it?

Read our pick of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars

Now check out the best Dolby Atmos movies to test your home cinema sound

If you, like many writers and artists, very rationally fear the blank canvas when starting a project, you’ll be familiar with that feeling of desperation to execute that first stroke.

If that project is building yourself a home cinema, we hope this article can inspire not only your first stroke but also your last, including any shading that is required.

Assembling an awesome AV system – and really getting it singing – is as much concerned with the work you do before you buy it as that you do after.

It’s pretty easy to buy any ol' bunch of kit online, snake its cables around your bohemian jungle of six-foot houseplants and get it all connected up together.

But if you’re serious about transforming movie nights or, at the extreme end of the scale, replicating a quality cinema in your domestic space, taking the time to shape a system with the care you take to shape your Fantasy Football team will pay off in spades.

And, as always, the research starts with setting your budget…

• Two-channel more your bag? Here's how to build the perfect hi-fi system

Set a budget & consider your room

The first step is, of course, to decide on a total budget you’re willing to spend, and then you can start breaking down where that money will go.

If you want a simple TV and soundbar combo, you need to budget for those and little else. If, however, you want a more sophisticated projector-led system with an AV amplifier and speaker package, you will need to consider all of those purchases as well as extras such as a screen, speaker cabling and, if your speaker package includes standmount designs, perhaps also speaker stands or wall brackets.

Will you be streaming from Netflix and watching solely live broadcasts, or will you require a source, such as a Blu-ray player or games console, to play physical media as well?

If the former, will your TV give you access to all of the apps you need (as most modern-day sets do) on a nice, clean interface, or will you need to plug in one of the best video streamers to bless you with all that?

There is no hard and fast rule for how much you should spend on each component, but you’ll be doing your speakers a disservice if they cost 20 times the amount of your amplifier, and vice versa.

As a rough rule of thumb, the speaker package should cost at least double the price of the amplifier, while a TV is likely to cost significantly more than an appropriate soundbar.

We often put pairing suggestions that we know will work (because we’ve tried them together) in our TV and home cinema reviews, or you can skip to our best home cinema systems you can buy section below for examples of recommended systems we’ve built to see how the budget can be ideally split between components.

If you’re going down the multi-speaker setup route, you’ll also need to decide how many speakers that budget needs to pay for.

This is why it’s good to get the tape measure out early, because knowing the dimensions of your room, as well as the space you have from each wall, is vital to finding the right package. (More of this later.)

Indeed, just because your AV amplifier has 11 channels (speaker outputs) doesn’t mean you need to use them all.

The best packages offer a broad, immersive soundfield with a traditional quintet of cinema speakers (and a subwoofer or two), so don’t attempt to fill your room with boxes only for them to get in each other’s way physically and, more importantly, sonically.

5.1 or 7.2 surround sound is the traditional configuration, but if you want to enjoy Dolby Atmos or DTS:X audio (more immersive and height-inclusive mixes than the Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS Digital Surround formats offer), 'height' channels are another consideration.

Some manufacturers now produce floorstanding speakers with built-in upward-firing drivers to deliver these height channels or, more commonly, offer separate modules (sometimes referred to as 'Atmos toppers') that you can simply place on top of speakers. But if you have the budget, space and, importantly, the desire, you can place your 'height' speakers in the ceiling for the ultimate effect.

Equally, with soundbars, if you want to experience Dolby Atmos in a more practical – albeit compromised – way, you’ll need a decent budget for a soundbar with proper upward-firing drivers; perhaps even a soundbar package that comes with some satellite speakers too.

As good as it might be for the money, don’t expect a modestly priced, single-bar Dolby Atmos soundbar – even one as good as the multi-Award-winning Sonos Beam Gen 2 – to convince you that sound is coming from every direction; it’s hard enough for the most premium best Dolby Atmos soundbars to do that.

If you really want a proper 'sound is everywhere' effect from a solution smaller than a traditional speaker package, perhaps a soundbar package with extra satellites, such as the Samsung HW-Q990D (or newer HW-Q990F), is the route to go down.

Either way, though a well-mastered Atmos soundtrack can really elevate a piece of cinema, it is much more important to get the rest of your home theatre system right first.

So if your budget doesn’t quite stretch to accommodate extra (height) channels, it’s best to consider this a future upgrade rather than skimp elsewhere.

As well as the number of speakers you can accommodate, the size of your room may also dictate whether you should be looking at floorstanding or standmount speakers, or a combination of the two.

This isn’t really about the footprint of the speaker – when you add stands to the latter, which is paramount, they are likely to take up pretty much the same amount of room – but how much space they have to breathe and the power you can offer them.

Some speakers are much fussier than others with positioning, too, including how far away they can be from a wall. Many smaller speakers can lose their sonic body being too far out into the room, for example, while others will close up altogether with their backs up against the wall.

As you might imagine, a soundbar – even a large Atmos soundbar – will be easier to accommodate, though that doesn’t mean you should have one teetering on the end of your TV stand.

The speakers inside need a solid footing to perform properly, and if the soundbar comes with a separate subwoofer, you’ll get optimal performance if you position it as close as possible to the actual soundbar. You can read about subwoofer setup and soundbar setup here.

TV or projector, soundbar or speaker package?

If you have the space and the budget to accommodate an all-singing, all-dancing home cinema setup, you may want to go as close to the cinema experience as possible, which means a projector, AV amplifier and more speakers than you have light fittings.

In other words, wall-sized images and enveloping, cinematic sound. Movie nights will never be the same again. But you should be aware of the complexities involved in setup compared to a simpler TV and soundbar pairing – more cabling, longer set-up processes and potentially less satisfaction in a well-lit room, for example. And you may not always gain in every aspect.

For example, in terms of picture quality, you generally have to spend considerably more to get a projector of the same quality as a TV. That said, budget speaker packages will typically be much more immersive and sophisticated-sounding than a similarly priced (or pricier, even) soundbar.

And while projectors once offered significantly larger pictures, the rise of cheap TV giants such as Hisense and TCL means that TVs can offer 75-inch+ screens comfortably for modest, three-figure sums – though you won't get premium screen tech such as OLED for that money.

Perhaps a TV with an amplifier and speaker package would suit you better? A projector with a soundbar seems far less appealing, mind you.

Our UST (ultra-short-throw) projector vs big TV comparison sheds light on the pros and cons of each option, and many of those apply to the telly vs ‘standard’ projector debate too.

A TV and soundbar will be all most people can practically accommodate in their living rooms, whether one or both are wall-mounted or simply placed on a TV rack from IKEA – and that’s more than fine.

While TVs used to be unwieldy things that could get nowhere near the quality of a projector, and soundbars have spent most of their existence as pretty crude TV boosters, the quality of both has come a long way in recent years.

You can now spend thousands on either component and get a seriously good-quality AV experience that doesn’t feel like too much of a compromise on a full-package solution.

System matching is crucial...

This section only really applies to home cinemas with speaker packages, as soundbars and TVs are, by and large, less fussy when it comes to synergy.

Getting a suitable number and type of speakers is vitally important for your surround sound system, but equally so is that they complement their partnering kit.

It’s about finding a balance where positive traits are showcased and any idiosyncrasies tempered; you won’t want anything overly enthusiastic in the treble, for example, if your amplifier is already a bit bright.

The amount of groundwork you do hereafter is up to you – whether you will consider bi-wiring, how important a certain finish is and so on – but no sooner than you’ve carefully worked out what you’re looking for should you be heading to the showroom to have a listen.

There, you want to recreate your home set-up as accurately as possible – you’re about to be handing a fair wad of cash to this dealer, after all, so they should only be too happy to oblige.

That means taking your AV amp with you if you have one, and any source you’ll be using with it. Even if you’re starting from scratch, make sure you have some films you know well to test with, otherwise you’ll never know properly what you’re hearing.

There’s no harm in hearing all you can, and no dealer can make a speaker sound better than it actually is.

It is possible, however, for a speaker to sound worse than it actually is – if it hasn’t been properly run in, say. It can take speakers hundreds of hours of play to reach their optimum level, as hi-fi and home cinema experts recognise here, but at the very least they will need 24 hours to warm up and loosen their joints.

And let us not forget that this is your opportunity to test the cables, speaker stands and interconnects you’ll use in your system.

Don’t think of any of these as upgrades you can make later – least of all suitable support for any standmount speakers – or else you’ll only be paying for potential your speaker package can never realise.

…as is set-up

So, say you have your ideal package. You know it all fits because you measured your room before you started looking; you know it works well with the rest of your system because you took it with you or heard all-new components together in the shop; and you know you can always go back to the shop if anything goes wrong because you bought it from the dealer and didn’t try to find it cheaper online. Now what?

Once all feet, spikes and stands are fitted, of course, you can begin with some basic positioning. Don’t worry if you don’t get this right the first time; it usually takes a while to find the ideal arrangement, and it’s always worth spending a bit of time experimenting with various speaker positions and angles.

Reading the literature that comes with your speakers is always a good place to start. Get that tape measure out to make sure distances are equal between corresponding channels, but again don’t be afraid to experiment with the arrangement later on.

The next, perhaps seemingly obvious, step is hooking each speaker up to your amp, making sure each channel is connected to the correct output, and black and red wires are all in the correct way round.

Nowadays, your AV receiver can largely guide you through the home cinema setup process thanks to its built-in calibration software, checking and helping you adjust speaker distances, levels, tonality and whatnot.

As well as designating channels, including whether certain outputs are running to height or auxiliary surround speakers, almost all newer amps will run an automatic level check with a microphone included in the box.

This will play a series of crackles and bleeps from each speaker in turn, repeating the process as you move the microphone through several listening positions, and optimise the level of each speaker as best it can.

This is all detailed in our how to set up your AV receiver and get the best sound advice piece.

Again, though, this is a starting point, so don’t be surprised if later on you decide certain channels need to be louder or quieter. Often we find ourselves asking our subwoofer for a bit more welly, especially when we’re watching action-driven films.

Perhaps counterintuitively, playing music is a great way of tweaking the crossover and balance between the fronts and subwoofer so that the result is seamless.

Also, check for peculiar outliers post-measurements – say, your front-left speaker is measured as being wildly further away from your seating position than your front-right speaker; you can always re-run the test or manually change it in the settings.

As for soundbars, let us reiterate an earlier point that just because they’re relatively unassuming 'lifestyle' boxes doesn't mean they can be chucked anywhere. If a soundbar is placed on an uneven surface, the action of the drivers moving backwards and forwards is likely to cause it to move and spoil the audio production.

Make sure, then, that each foot has a solid placement on a TV stand, or the ‘bar is properly fixed to a wall using a dedicated wall-mounting kit (ideally one either provided in the box or recommended by the manufacturer).

Think about the length of the soundbar in accordance with the width of your TV, too – you want them to be similar ideally so that sound ‘fills’ the screen – and also its height; you don’t want your soundbar to block the bottom of your TV if it is placed in front of it. Our in-depth how to choose and set up a soundbar advice can guide you further.

The most important thing about TV placement is the height, angle and distance at which it’s placed. Position it so that as many seating positions as possible are viewing the TV straight on; the screen should be at eye level when you’re seated; and you can use a simple formula to work out the ideal distance between your screen and viewing position based on your TV’s size and resolution.

Head to our how to set up your TV and get the best picture and how to calculate the right viewing distance for your TV articles for the ins and outs of optimal TV setup.

We also have a guide on the best way to set up a projector, too.

And there you have the major considerations when setting up a home cinema. Think about what components and configurations best suit your budget and room, and set them up optimally to get the best performance out of them.

Hopefully this article – and other advice pieces linked to on this page – will help you decide on and build your perfect home cinema system. Because there are few things more satisfying for cinephiles and couch potatoes alike than to be transported into the movies from the comfort of your own home.

The best home cinema systems you can buy in 2025

And now it’s time to start building. To provide a few sparks of inspiration, we have built a handful of home cinema systems in the past couple of years with components that we know work together, having listened to them in our dedicated What Hi-Fi? test rooms.

The recommended systems below span various types of equipment and budgets, from affordable TV/soundbar pairings to more serious projector/AV receiver/speaker package setups.

Have a look to see if anything tickles your fancy, and start visualising your dream home cinema system.

• LG OLED, soundbar, 4K Blu-ray player, streamer & game console
  (mid-range)
  The mid-model LG C5 is the hub around which we centre this amazing home cinema and gaming system. We marry this excellent new TV with the premium five-star Sonos Arc Ultra, the Panasonic DP-UB820 4K Blu-ray player and Sky Stream video streamer, plus the PS5 to make the picture capabilities of this fine TV proud.
• JVC projector, AV amp, 4K Blu-ray player, streamer & speaker package
  (high-end)
  If you've got the cash to splash, or you feel like dreaming for a few minutes, we think this is a pretty special way to get a serious home cinema. These components are all highly recommended, and they make up a brilliant-performing system to rival the quality of your local cineplex, while adding the most convenient streaming player/platform we've come across.
• Compact and affordable TV & soundbar pairing
  (budget)
  You don't have to spend tens of thousands to upgrade your home entertainment; a soundbar and decent TV picture alone can do wonders to evenings binging Netflix, provided you buy the right equipment, of course. Which brings us to this relatively budget TV and soundbar pairing.
• Samsung TV, soundbar package, 4K Blu-ray player & game console
  (premium)
  A best-of-both-worlds solution centered around Samsung's best QD-OLED TV yet and also its best soundbar, sub and satellite package to date. Throw in a PS5 and our favourite Ultra HD Blu-ray player, and you have a system that majors on quality, convenience and neatness.

Of course, you can build your own system and do your own compatibility research – and what better place to start than with the What Hi-Fi? Best Buy buying guides, which list the best products you can buy in each category, all tried and tested by our team of expert reviewers.

As a handy shortcut, here are the:

• Best TVs
• Best projectors
• Best soundbars
• Best surround packages

MORE:

Our expert pick of the best surround sound systems you can buy

How to upgrade your home cinema without spending a fortune

The What Hi-Fi? guide to the best films and TV shows to test your system

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.

MORE:

Check out the best surround sound systems

Don't buy a TV, sound is the most important upgrade you can make

22 of the best film scenes to test Dolby Atmos

Probably the biggest decision when buying a new TV is what screen size to go for.

This shouldn't only be influenced by the size of your TV cabinet, but the size of your room, too – if you end up sitting too close to the screen, you're going to get serious neck ache. Too far away, meanwhile, and you will be robbed of the full cinematic experience.

If you're wondering what the correct distance to sit from the screen is, you've come to the right place.

This guide isn't just handy if you're buying a new TV – those moving home, or rearranging their room, will also find it useful. Or anyone thinking they're not getting the most from their TV.

If that's you, read on, and we'll help you get the best experience possible.

Why does viewing distance matter?

The idea of ideal viewing distances came in some years ago when screens weren’t of the standard that they are today.

This meant that if you sat too close to your TV, you could see the individual pixels that make up a picture, and sitting a little further back would help to disguise that.

Considering the strides forward that have been made in screen technology in recent years, this isn’t really an issue any more. However, there are still things you might want to consider when plonking yourself down in front of your telly if you want to get the most out of your viewing experience.

This can also help you to decide the best size TV for your room, by working out the viewing distance your room can offer.

What is the ideal viewing distance for 4K TVs?

We expect that most people reading this will be investing in a 4K TV, considering that Full HD TVs are now few and far between. With all the pixels in a 4K screen, you could sit with your nose against it and still struggle to notice any imperfections.

This means you can go for a bigger screen in a smaller room and not experience any of the downsides you may have had with a Full HD screen.

Going for a bigger screen also gives you an improved sense of picture quality and a more immersive viewing experience.

If you’re trying to decide between two screen sizes, we'd almost always recommend you go for the larger one if your budget allows – assuming, that is, that the larger TV isn't also a worse TV. (Our list of best TVs will help you avoid this.)

There is a sweet spot, though. You don’t want to be so close to the TV that you’re having to scan the screen for action, either – something you might notice more when you’re watching sports rather than movies.

For this reason, you need to consider a position where you can take in the whole screen within your field of vision.

A human has around a 180-degree total visual field, but the central vision (the bit that you see straight in front of you) is much narrower, at around 60 degrees.

The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers recommends that your TV should fill around 30 degrees of your field of vision for mixed usage.

However, if your TV is in a home cinema room that will be used mainly for movie watching, both the SMPTE and THX recommend you should up this to around 40 degrees instead.

To make that a little simpler, we tend to recommend that for a 4K TV you sit between 1 and 1.5 times the size of it away from its screen. And if you aim somewhere down the middle of that, at around 1.2x, you’ll be close to the 40-degree field of vision sweet spot that is recommended above.

The easy way to work this out is to take your TV’s screen size (measured, as ever, on the diagonal) – be that 48, 55 or 65 inches – and multiply it by 1.2. This will give you the distance in inches. Depending on the measurements you use, you can multiply this number by 2.54 to get it in centimetres instead.

For example, to find the ideal viewing distance for a 65-inch 4K TV you would calculate: (65 x 1.2) x 2.54 = 198.12. So that’s a viewing distance of 1.98 metres.

Prefer to work in feet and inches? That’s even easier. It just so happens that a 43-inch TV would need a viewing distance of 4ft 3in, a 55-inch TV would need a viewing distance of 5ft 5in, and a 65-incher a 6ft 5in – and so on.

How does that all look on paper? Allow us to do the maths...

If you watch a lot of sport, you might want to consider sitting slightly further back for a more comfortable watch, but these numbers give you a starting point.

Do bear in mind that these distances are based on one person viewing the TV straight on and at eye level, so other seating positions will need to be considered separately. There are very few rooms that are going to be able to accommodate several perfect viewing spots, mind you, so just do what you can to keep them as close to the same distance away as possible.

And in case we need to remind you, don’t even think about mounting your TV up in that space over the fireplace unless you want a front-row-at-the-cinema-style neck ache.

What about ideal viewing distances for Full HD?

If you do still have a Full HD TV in your house, the distances above will need to be adjusted so you are a little further away, to ensure you aren’t so close that you see the pixel structure. Generally, we recommend this viewing distance to be between 1.5 and 2.5 times the size of your TV.

Guidelines, not rules

As is often the case with home cinema set-up advice, these numbers and measurements can be helpful guidelines, but you should always consider what's in front of you, too – the shape of your room, its space restrictions and your personal preference. If you prefer something closer or further away, go for it. Part of the beauty of home cinema is in its subjectivity.

However, if you’re still trying to decide which size TV to buy, we're firmly in the camp that you'll never regret going bigger if your budget and room size allows. Just be sure to balance that with performance too – our in-depth TV reviews and best TV buying guide should help you out there.

MORE:

Best 65-inch TVs: the top models we've tested

Find out how to set up your TV and get the best picture

How to combine stereo and surround sound in one AV system – your guide

Here's how to choose and set up a soundbar

Upgrading your home cinema doesn't have to mean 'out with the old, in with the new'. There are ways to improve it without breaking the bank or indeed swapping a single box. In fact, there are plenty of ways you can even do it for free, as you will see shortly!

While replacing your current AV kit might be a lot of fun, it is possible to make significant performance bumps in picture and sound by honing the equipment you already own and love, or just accessorising a little.

Below are some suggestions on how to squeeze more out of your setup, starting with what you can do without having to spend a dime, before moving on to the new (modest) purchases you can make.

Done everything on this list already and still hankering to upgrade? Then it is probably time to check out our expert buying guides on the best TV, best projector, best AV receiver and best speaker package you can buy, after all – but safe in the knowledge that your upgrade isn't premature.

1. Calibrate your TV or projector

Most TVs and projectors do not perform at their best straight out of the box, so if you haven't had much of a fiddle with your settings, you really ought to.

At the basic level, make sure your unit isn't set to the store demo mode, then cycle through the picture presets to find the one that you like best. We would also recommend switching off any ambient light detection modes for the best and most consistent experience.

After that, it's time to investigate some of the picture processing modes, which can be positive but may also end up ruining the picture. Be mindful that the most dramatic differences can actually crush subtlety and detail.

Read our guide on How to set up your TV and get the best picture for more specific information on picture settings, and our tips for changing 4K TV picture settings for DVD, Blu-ray and TV viewing if you watch a lot of non-4k content.

Don't forget that TVs have sound settings too. These are usually less involved than picture settings, but they can be well worth exploring.

Often, modes like Bass Boost and Dialogue Enhancement will have a price to pay in dynamics as well as balance and might better be left alone. If you really want more bass, perhaps buy a soundbar or add a subwoofer (more on that shortly).

2. Rearrange your furniture

There may be constraints, including objections from people you share a home with, but the more you can arrange your room to prioritise your AV equipment, the better the viewing experience you'll get.

There are some basic principles of TV (and projector) positioning that you can follow, and if that involves buying a proper TV stand then maybe it is time to invest.

Make sure your screen is at eye level – even if it's wall-mounted via a TV wall mount. If you have to have it higher, then make sure you tilt it downwards so that it's square-on to your line of sight.

While the top TVs have decent viewing angles, you're still only going to get the very best picture when you're right in the middle.

Calculating the right viewing distance for your TV is, of course, important and depends on the size of the screen and its resolution. Try to avoid placing your TV right by a window where strong light could affect your appreciation of contrast.

Again, read our comprehensive how to set up your TV and how to set up your projector guides for more details on placement.

3. Move your speakers

Speaker positioning is crucial to experiencing the best of the soundtrack of your film or TV show.

Delve into the ITU positioning diagrams online to see exactly where to position your speakers. This depends on how many channels you have, of course, but the guiding principles are easy enough.

Viewing it in plan (ie. top-down), you should be able to draw a circle with your head at the centre and your speakers on the circumference. In other words, ideally, they should all be at the same distance from your ears.

In a 5.1 arrangement, the right and left front channels should be at 60 degrees from one another, with the centre channel right in front in between them.

The surrounds need to be not level but just behind, at around 110 degrees from the centre. For a 7.1-channel system, that changes slightly, as per the diagram above.

You can read more about optimally setting up your surround sound system in the setup section of our how to build the perfect home cinema system advice guide.

4. Recalibrate your AVR

Now that speaker placement is sorted, you need to make sure you've got the levels right. Your AVR should come with a calibration mode – this usually involves a microphone, which you then place in a few different positions.

The AVR then sends out sounds to your speakers for the microphone to pick up. Every time you move your speakers or viewing position, you'll need to do this calibration again.

Based on that, your AVR will come up with a set of sound levels for each channel, though it's always worth doing a little fine-tuning by ear.

Again, there's more information on checking levels in our how to set up your AV receiver and get the best sound article.

5. Invest in speaker stands

If you've already managed to tack a pair of hi-fi speakers onto your TV, well done. Now you can take them off your bookshelf and mount them on a proper pair of speaker stands.

Not only will stands keep them steady so they can do their job with greater precision, but they also allow you the flexibility to position yourself right in the sonic sweet spot.

A pair of Atacama Moseco 6 stands will do the trick, as will the slightly cheaper Soundstyle Z2, but even stands at half the price should offer a significant audio upgrade to anything more ad hoc.

6. Upgrade your speaker cable

So often forgotten and such an easy improvement, the best speaker cables can make a big difference to your home cinema sound. You may already have the best there is but, if not, it can be a relatively inexpensive upgrade.

The Chord Company RumourX cables are a favourite, but if they are a bit steep for your budget, then try the Chord Company C-Screen at less than half the price.

As a general system-building rule, you should spend roughly 10 per cent of your total equipment cost on cabling, which will probably include both speaker cables and audio interconnects.

7. Buy a soundbar

It's obvious, but still worth pointing out. The speaker cabinets of (and drivers inside) most TVs simply aren't big enough to offer much quality in the way of sound.

Some sets have soundbars built-in, but they're in the minority and often exclusive to the premium end. So, a hugely effective way to boost your enjoyment of TV and film is to buy a soundbar – even a modestly priced one, such as the Sony HT-SF150 / HT-S100F or Sony HT-S2000, can make a difference to dialogue and sound effects.

If you're happy to spend a little more, you can pick up something like the What Hi-Fi? Award-winning Sonos Beam Gen 2, which adds multi-room functionality as well as impressive surround sound and Dolby Atmos upward-firing drivers.

The next level up for sound is the Sonos Arc and, beyond that, the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9.

Read our buying guide to the best soundbars or, if you have a bigger budget, the best Dolby Atmos soundbars for our in-house reviewers' picks of the best 'bars, as well as our soundbar deals roundup.

8. Buy a subwoofer

If an entire speaker package seems a bit of a stretch, just buy one piece of it. The addition of a good subwoofer to your AV set-up will make a huge difference, given that flat-panel TV speakers struggle most with bass.

Check your current AV set-up for any kit with a sub-out connection. If you're out of luck, you'll need to find a multi-channel AV amplifier or 2.1 stereo amplifier to plug it into.

If you already own a speaker package, then consider an upgrade to your subwoofer. Most speaker package manufacturers offer an upgraded version of the sub that came with the kit.

And when you have one, be sure to peruse our expert guide on how to set up your subwoofer.

9. Buy an AV receiver, or upgrade what you have

An AVR on its own won't do anything for your sound, but it opens up your TV to a whole new world of potential.

Besides, you may find you have an old pair of hi-fi speakers somewhere in the house that you can plug in and make a front stereo pair – until you've saved up enough cash for a whole speaker package.

The second-hand market on places such as eBay and Facebook Marketplace is full of unwanted speakers that will sound a lot better than what's inside your TV. Just be sure to read our guide on how to buy second-hand hi-fi speakers.

If you already have an AVR, then it may be time for an upgrade. A modern model should offer more channels with Dolby Atmos decoding, which will offer room for expansion.

There will likely be HDMI 2.1 support for new technology compatibility and extra features. And, if you shop for one of the best AV receivers out there, it will also sound better – though be warned that you'll only be able to appreciate that difference if your speakers are equally matched in terms of price.

Again, to keep costs down, let the second-hand market be your friend – this time for selling your current AVR to fund the upgrade.

10. Add more speaker channels

So, you've got 5.1 sorted. Fine, but how many channels can your AVR support? A set of standmounter rears can bump you up to a 7.1 configuration, and then you can add a second subwoofer as well, so long as your AV receiver supports a '.2' setup.

For some really interesting AV bang-for-buck, though, add the dimension of height with some Dolby Atmos speakers – again, if your AV receiver accommodates Atmos.

Many home cinema speaker packages offer small and relatively inexpensive Atmos modules that will sit on top of the speakers you already own and fire upwards. That's a great alternative to ripping holes in your ceiling for a custom install.

11. Go 4K Blu-ray

It may not be as convenient as streaming, but the best quality films and TV shows are still those played from a disc.

If you've shunned all spinning media than getting back involved is a two-stage process: stage one is to buy a 4K Blu-ray player; stage two is to get some 4K Blu-rays.

Five-star 4K Blu-ray players start relatively cheap, such as the Panasonic DP-UB150EB, and go all the way up to the budget-busting Panasonic DP-UB9000. If you've got the cash, then a good sweet spot is the Sony UBP-X700 or Panasonic DP-UB820EB.

Those 4K Blu-ray discs can be almost as big an expense over time, unless you're smart. Keep an eye on Amazon's 4K Blu-ray store for bargains and second-hand options at CEX and elsewhere.

Another great option for keeping costs down is 4K Blu-ray rental. Cinema Paradiso is a UK-based Blu-ray-by-post service, while Redbox is a good option in the US.

You may also find that your local neighbourhood library runs a cheap 4K Blu-ray rental service. Long live local libraries!

12. Add a 4K media streamer

If returning to physical discs feels like a backward step, the next best 4K content option is a media streamer. Many TVs won't have all the 4K apps and services you need, and a media streamer is a cheap and easy way to bring them all onboard.

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Generation) is a great budget buy and fills most of the 4K service gaps, while the Apple TV 4K is a more luxurious, performance-savvy option. Check what apps you need before you buy, of course.

13. Go big with a projector

Sure, your TV might be 4K and HDR, but does it have a 300-inch screen? No, we didn't think so. That kind of scale is par for the best home projector course.

A projector-based home cinema set-up is an expensive outlay if you're looking to replicate your local cinema, but if you just want to go big on a modest budget, then an affordable projector and a good piece of wall will do. You can add the refinements of sound and a proper screen at a later date.

You can use a laptop, games console, disc player or any kind of HDMI streamer as a source. The only caveat is that you'll need to take your audio from the source too and not the projector.

The alternative is, of course, to do things properly and buy an AV receiver and speaker package to complement it.

14. Introduce a projector screen

If you already went big some time ago, then maybe it's time for a clean-up. A proper projector screen will make a huge difference to both the colour balance and the detail of the image.

Decent screens of 100in in size start at relatively little, but you can opt for fancy features like motorised roll-away or in-ceiling stowing for more. Be sure to read our guide on everything you need to know about projector screens.

MORE:

6 ways to get near-perfect Dolby Atmos sound in an imperfect room

5.1 vs 7.2 surround sound: which is better?

Ultra-short throw projector vs big-screen TV: which should you buy?

So you've taken the leap into the world of true cinematic sound? Congratulations! You're about to experience true surround sound that even the best soundbars can't quite match.

However, if this is your first rodeo, then be prepared; setting up an AVR is a bit more involved than plugging in a soundbar.

If you're mystified by the endless connections on the back of your new amp, or perhaps you're befuddled by the calibration process, then don't panic.

We've set up more AVRs than we count, and have come across our fair share of pitfalls. So, we've compiled a guide to help you through the process and help you dodge the same hurdles that we've encountered.

We're covering everything from which AVR you should buy to some key tips and tricks to ensure you get the best possible performance out of your new home cinema amplifier.

Choosing and buying your AV receiver

AV receivers may look complicated, but it can be easier to pin down requirements for buying your new amp than most other hi-fi or AV kit. They all look the same, after all – a sturdy rectangular box – so at least you don’t have to make many aesthetic choices beyond perhaps black or silver.

You mainly need three things on your checklist: how many speakers do you have, how many HDMI inputs will you need, and what’s your budget?

Since you’ve (presumably) already made the big decision of having a surround sound system in your home, you probably already know how many speakers you can fit in – from a basic 5.1 to an all-out Dolby Atmos extravaganza. So your choice of amplifier will largely be dictated by this.

If you’re only ever going to have room/space for five speakers and a subwoofer (the minimum for a proper surround system), then you don’t have to look further than a five-channel AV receiver. If, however, you’re toying with the idea of expanding – adding some surround back channels say, or maybe you want an Atmos system at some point – it’s worth investing in a nine or 11-channel amplifier so you’re future-proofed.

Thinking about installing an Atmos system from the start? Firstly, we envy you. Secondly, double-check your AV amp supports Atmos soundtracks – most amps at £500 / $500 / AU$700 and above should do as standard by now. Fair warning, amplifiers around this price don't tend to deliver supreme sound quality; for instance, the Denon AVR-S670H proved to be somewhat lacklustre.

We’d also recommend looking for an amp that lets you accommodate four Atmos speakers (a 5.1.4 or 7.1.4 configuration), not two (5.1.2 or 7.1.2, for instance, which you’ll find in many low to mid-range amplifiers). There are some great amplifiers in this price range, such as the Award-winning Sony TA-AN1000 (£1000 / $1240 approx / AU$1850 approx)

If you are set on the full Dolby Atmos package, and want an all-in-one solution, then you’ll be looking at amplifiers in the upper-mid range to high-end region. Take a look at the Denon AVC-X6800H (£2999 / $3500 / AU$5999) or the Product of the Year winning Marantz Cinema 30 (£4000 / $4500 / AU$7900) if you're after the best sound performance and feature sets.

These models aren't cheap, but they are worth it. Why? We don’t find two Atmos speakers enough for a genuine Atmos effect, so if you’re serious about getting immersive, overhead, 3D sound: go for four. Just take a passing glance at Dolby's speaker set-up guides to ensure your room will work for it.

Next to consider is connections. You’ll want to make sure you have enough HDMI inputs if you’ve got multiple sources – Blu-ray player, games console, set-top box – and that they support the latest 8K and HDR specifications to allow a degree of future-proofing.

Most amps will come with some legacy analogue connections too – great if you’ve got kit that pre-dates HDMI, like a VHS player.

Price is obviously a big factor, too. You can only buy what your budget dictates, after all, and that does simplify matters somewhat.

As a general rule of thumb: if the amp is below £500 / $500 / AU$900, you’ll get basic 5.1, a handful of HDMI inputs, and probably no internet.

Move up to the sweet spot of around £700 / $700 / AU$1400 and you get every single cutting-edge AV feature – wi-fi, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, 4K HDR passthrough, multiple HDMI inputs, all music streaming features – thrown in.

If you've got £1000 / $1000 / $1900 to spend or more, then expect everything above, but more power, bigger scale of sound, more speaker terminals, more fine-tuned audio calibrations and more features.

How much should you spend in a given system? As a rough guide, if you have a £1000-£1500 (around $1250-$1850 / AU$1950-AU$3000) speaker package at home, you should aim for a £500-750 (around $750 / AU$1180) AV receiver. Similarly, if you have your sights on a £2000 (around $2500 / AU$4000) amp, your speaker package should be in the £4000-£5000 (around $5500 / AU$8900) region – essentially, double the amplifier’s worth (and add a bit more).

How to connect your kit to an AV receiver

You’ve bought your amp, congratulations! Now it’s time to plug everything in.

The sheer number of connections on the back of any amp can be daunting, but take your time to get it all set up properly in one go and you’ll never have to do it again.

We’d recommend keeping the amp powered off when you’re plugging in your speakers, subwoofer and sources. That will stop any pops, shorting of circuits or any other possible damage to your system.

Most, if not all, amps have everything clearly labelled. Some, such as Denon’s amps, helpfully colour code the speaker terminals to make plugging in five (or more) pairs of speakers easier. Surround backs, height or front width speaker terminals can double up as those for Dolby Atmos speakers, too: these might be labelled as “assignable”, “5.1.2ch” or “Extra SP”.

If you’ll be playing 4K HDR content, look out for the “HDCP2.2” label above the HDMI inputs. In some cases, only a couple of HDMI inputs will be HDCP2.2 certified – make sure you plug your 4K Blu-ray player into these.

You’ll also notice that each HDMI input has a source assigned to it: Blu-ray, DVD, CD, Game, CBL/SAT, media player and so on. This isn’t just friendly guidance. This means the manufacturer has taken care to optimise these inputs for those particular sources. The Blu-ray input, for example, might offer the shortest signal path to the processor and so delivers the best performance.

Two more connections worth talking about: we’d recommend using the wired ethernet connection if you can, as it’s more stable and reliable than wi-fi.

And the USB port in front? It’ll play media files off a USB stick, but we find it useful for charging our smartphones too (if the amp allows it).

Calibrating your AV receiver

Here comes the lengthiest, fiddliest part of setting up your AV receiver.

Most AV receivers come with a set-up mic. Plug that in and run the auto-calibration when prompted – it will measure your speakers and your room, set the speakers’ distances and levels and, in the case of fancier (read: pricier) amplifiers’ calibration systems, optimise the speaker package's performance to match its surroundings.

We recommend running the auto-calibration right after plugging everything in – get that fuss out of way in the very beginning, then the sooner you can start listening to your new home cinema.

Also, the system won’t sound right until the calibration is done. Once the mic is plugged in, simply follow the on-screen instructions to the letter and let the calibration run its course. Some take only a handful of seconds, while others can take more than five minutes because they take multiple measurements. We tend to go off and make a cup of tea for the longer ones.

If you have Dolby Atmos speakers installed, you need to tell the amp so before calibrating.

Head into the manual speaker settings (you may have to delve into subfolders in the menu) to tell the amp if they’re upward-firing Atmos-enabled speakers (such as the KEF R50s) or installed in the ceiling – then it can calibrate accordingly. The amp will ask for your room’s ceiling height, so keep a tape measure handy.

You’ll also need to tell the amp if you’re using one or two subwoofers. Set the subwoofer's built-in volume control about halfway, run the calibration and then adjust accordingly if it sounds too bassy (or not bassy enough) when playing a film clip.

If the calibration flags up a fault with one of the speakers during measurement (or doesn’t recognise it when it’s there), double-check it’s plugged into the right terminal – sometimes it flags up when a speaker is out of phase.

Most calibration systems these days are largely accurate, but it’s always worth delving into the manual speaker settings to double-check the distances and levels, and tweak the results where needed. Trust your ears: if it sounds wrong, it probably is, so adjust away.

The main thing you’ll need to change is when the amplifier hasn’t recognised whether your speakers are large or small (this happens a lot).

You can even get nerdy like us and adjust the speaker levels using a sound pressure meter level (or use the equivalent smartphone app – they genuinely work).

It’s worth noting if you ever change your speaker package, change its position or move furniture around in the room, you’ll need to run the whole calibration again. So don’t lose that set-up mic.

We'd also suggest going back into the menus and manually turning off any dynamic range compression (sometimes referred to as DRC) in the menus. This reduces the dynamic range of the amp and is really for late-night listening so any huge bangs and crashes don't annoy the neighbours. If you're going to be mainly watching movies at more sociable hours, then you'll want to hear the soundtrack in all its glory, right?

Surround sound modes and DSPs

Just as you’re coasting the post-calibration high and are ready to hit play on your 4K Blu-ray, you might notice another couple of options: surround sound modes and DSPs.

DSP (digital sound processing) can vary from Dolby or DTS processing modes to specific Drama/Sci-Fi/Adventure/Game modes that boost certain aspects of the sound. You may even enjoy more fanciful effects that simulate the acoustics of a cathedral, a concert hall, an NYC jazz club or LA’s Roxy Theatre.

This last group can be enormous fun to play around with. Yamaha has some of the best sound programs for invoking a specific environment and delivering a subtle yet convincing effect.

But since we prefer not to colour the sound signal too much (if at all), we’re going to focus on just a handful of sound modes that put sound quality at the fore. Look out for the ‘straight’, ‘direct’ or ‘pure direct’ modes on your amplifier – these tend to offer the purest signal from source to output.

The modes vary with each manufacturer, but they generally switch off any part of the circuitry that isn’t needed, thereby reducing distortion and getting rid of any interferences – all in the name of keeping the signal path as pure as possible.

On the other hand, you might find you need a specific mode or setting to play Dolby Atmos or DTS:X soundtracks (which are layered on top of the standard 5.1 or 7.1 soundtrack on Blu-ray discs).

For example, when you select Movie Mode on the Denon AVR-X1800H, you also get a sub-menu to choose the surround mode you want the soundtrack to be played in – i this case Dolby Atmos/Surround.

One more thing: if you’ll be watching/listening to a variety of content – films, sports, video games, stereo music – through your amp, it’s worth setting up shortcuts with bespoke settings for each type of content you watch. A particular movie mode for films, two-channel stereo mode for music only, another DSP for games – it’ll save you from having to change the sound settings all the time.

When we test an AV receiver, we let it ‘run in’ (i.e. keep it playing for a day or two) to get it sounding its best before any critical listening. Since you’ll be living with your amp, you’ll find that it sounds better the more you use it.

So what are you waiting for? Pop in your favourite film, grab some snacks, and enjoy your new, perfectly set up home cinema system.

AV receiver tips and tricks

• AV receivers are big and heavy objects, so give your amp enough space on your AV rack.
• Make sure it has plenty of ventilation, too, as it can run hot during playback.
• Keep the display turned off for a boost in sound quality.
• Smartphone apps can be nice, but we prefer a trusty physical remote control. Bonus points if the remote is backlit.
• Go look through every single folder and subfolder in the amp’s menu – you’ll find loads of useful settings tucked away.
• Use quality speaker cables and HDMI cables to get the best out of your system.
• Try to keep all the speaker cables from tangling with each other too much, to reduce any interference.
• Check for software updates regularly, and switch on automatic updates if you can.
• Try to match your AVR to your speaker system. Have a leaner-sounding speaker package? Try to find an AVR with a richer and fuller sound, such as a Denon or Marantz, to balance it out.
• Ignore the power ratings stated by the manufacturer. Every manufacturer measures them in a different way, so the results can be misleading. It may be tempting to go for the largest number (e.g. 200W per channel), but the power ratings on an AV receiver don’t accurately represent the performance.
• Top tip: before you sit down to enjoy film night, turn on the AV receiver about half an hour earlier to let it warm up – it’ll sound considerably better than if you start playing it when it's cold.

MORE:

5.1 vs 7.2 surround sound: which is better?

The best Dolby Atmos movies of the decade (so far) to test your home cinema

13 of the best movie scores to test your system

Our pick of the best surround sound systems you can buy

Do I really need to buy a projector screen? It’s a question we’re asked often.

Many people mistakenly believe that a simple painted white wall or a plain white bed sheet will do the job as well. They won't.

While you will see a picture of sorts with either of these options, it will be one where detail, contrast and colour fidelity are heavily compromised. You simply aren't giving the projector the chance to shine.

Conventional paint on a wall isn’t designed to reflect light in an even way and, no matter how smooth the plaster on the surface, the light will be scattered. A sheet is just as bad, adding a lack of flatness to that sorry list of failings.

There’s no two ways about it, if you want a genuine cinema experience, you’ll need a proper projector screen, and that goes for when you use an outdoor projector too!

Don’t worry, they don’t have to be massively expensive. Decent options start from below £100 / $100 / AU$200, with premium offerings coming in at around 10 times that.

While we’re not talking about insignificant sums of money, in the context of a typical projector home cinema system, those outlays are reasonable.

The first thing you need to decide is how big you want the screen to be. This depends on how much space you have, but typical sizes tend to be between 96 and 120 inches (measured diagonally). Domestic TV screens may be getting bigger all the time but they don’t compare to the scale of the image you’ll get here.

While it’s tempting to get the biggest screen that will fit in the available space, just make sure that it’s possible to see the bottom edge of the screen from every seating position.

Also, don’t go for a size so large that you have to move your eyes to see the whole of the screen. It’s an uncomfortable feeling akin to sitting in the first row of seats in a cinema.

Choosing the right-sized screen

It’s important to make sure your projector will fill the screen from its intended position.

You can use the unit’s throw ratio information to discern this. Just divide the distance between the projector and screen by the throw ratio and you’ll get the image width. It’s important to note that it’s image width, not the diagonal.

Image width x Throw ratio = Projector's distance from screen

So, if you have a screen that is 2.6m wide and a projector with a throw ratio of 1.3 you'll need to put the projector 3.38m away from the screen.

As well as the size of the screen, consider the type. Do you want a fixed model that sits on your wall or a roll-up option that can be hidden away after use? The answer depends on whether the room is a multi-use space. If so, hiding the screen away makes a lot of sense.

In a dedicated home cinema room, the fixed option is the way to go, because the screen is always ready for viewing and adequately tensioned to ensure a smooth, flat surface for the projector’s image. It also doesn’t need power to operate any motors.

While the fashion with TVs dictates that a minimal border is ideal, we advise against carrying that through to projector screens. It’s best to get a fixed screen with a relatively wide frame.

The frame should be covered with black, light-absorbing material so that any part of the projector image that falls on it isn’t reflected.

This means that millimetre-perfect alignment of the projector’s image isn’t required, and also that your picture is perfectly framed, helping it 'pop'.

How much gain do I need?

There are other things to consider about projector screens.

While most options will be white, you’ll also find grey and even black variants. These darker choices are intended for use in more brightly lit rooms.

Another factor is screen gain. Look at the specifications of any screen and there will be a gain figure. A gain of 1.0 means that the screen reflects all the light that shines on it, while higher numbers mean that the image on the screen is brighter when viewed from straight ahead – but its image suffers when looked at from wider viewing angles.

Higher gain screens make sense in brighter rooms but can also suffer problems with ‘hot spotting’, where the middle of the screen will appear brighter than the edges or suffers from glare.

If you have a projector that doesn’t render blacks very well or a darker room, it’s well worth considering a screen with a gain below 1.0. This will help to make things darker and optimise the results you get. If your projector has enough light output, the loss of reflected light may not be an issue, so the gains will be worth it.

If your screen is placed in front of your centre speaker, make sure it is made of perforated material. The holes let the acoustic output from the speaker pass through the screen more easily, so keeping soundtracks sounding good.

Lastly, the best projectors have a limited light output and are intended for use in darkened rooms. Try to keep your room as dark as possible to maximise the contrast and colour integrity of the image you see.

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• Best projectors
• Best outdoor projectors
• Best surround sound systems
• Best home cinema and AV deals