“Good sound is good sound, regardless of whether it’s for hi-fi or home cinema.”
Regular readers will know the above statement has long been a catchphrase in What Hi-Fi? towers.
So much so that even our veteran global technical editor, Ketan Bharadia, can’t remember the first staff member to utter it – though in his defence, we have been around for half a century at this point, so it could well be before even his time.
And the reason is simple: what makes for an engaging, immersive “as the artist or director intended” experience is identical.
Decent tonal balance; enough rhythmic drive to get your feet tapping; impactful dynamics; the ever elusive sense of “fun” we yearn for when consuming media – the list goes on.
All these factors and more are important regardless of whether you’re listening to music or watching films.
And we know a lot of readers feel the same way, as evidenced by website commenter Benvolio, who recently replied to a piece describing my experience helping review the KEF R Meta 5.1 Speaker System, telling us:
“The right track at the right part of a film can be the ultimate music video. So, when your surround system lets down the music, it lets down the moment.”
And by reader Geoff-W, who replied to my more recent piece about UST projector testing for the What Hi-Fi? Awards 2026, telling us:
“Having had good quality hi-fi for many decades, I am unable to accept the pathetic sound quality of TVs. On the rare occasions my AV amp fails to switch on with the TV, I am struck by the thin, lifeless presentation. So yes, I agree that audio quality is of equal importance to picture quality.”
But to my surprise, a number of you have responded arguing that the key elements that make good hi-fi audio are different to what makes for the best home cinema experience.
The only downside is most have been a little light on the specific details. Which is why, as the team and I are always up for a decent chinwag on audio, we have decided to follow up and ask you, our awesome readers, your thoughts on the topic: are good hi-fi and home cinema sound the same thing? And if not, why not?
Let me know in the comments below! I’m genuinely curious…
MORE:
These are the best Dolby Atmos soundbars we have tested
We rank the best AVRs for home cinema fans
Our picks of the best surround sound systems
