Going to the cinema is a treat – as it should be when it costs the best part of £60 to take the family to see the latest blockbuster.
But while the picture is huge and the sound impressive, you also have to consider the cost of tickets and the travel expenses, not to mention the noise and thoughtlessness of your fellow movie-goers.
So wouldn’t it be great to have cinema quality sound and pictures in the comfort of your living room? The October issue of What Hi-Fi?, available on the newsstands today, will help you achieve that, with a special issue dedicated to creating the ultimate home cinema system.
From reviews of AV amps ranging from £430 to £650, plus 4K UHD Blu-ray players, the very best projectors, Dolby Atmos soundbars and surround sound speaker packages, you can start creating that movie wishlist right away.
Big screen
There’s nothing quite like the thrill of watching the action on a big screen, but for those who’d rather enjoy a movie from the comfort of their own sofa, having your own home cinema system is a great alternative.
In the October issue of What Hi-Fi?, you will find reviews of all the very best home cinema kit on the market, with some handy hints and tips to get you started.
Our special feature begins with a round-up of the best AV amplifiers, from Denon, Sony, Onkyo and Yamaha. With these amps costing between £430 and £650, getting started on your way to a home cinema system needn’t cost more than a few family days out at the local picture house.
Want to know how to set up your amplifier? Read our feature full of handy tips and advice and you’ll be ready to start building your system in no time.
You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition
Top kit
Your AV amp may be set up and ready to go, but what other kit do you need to complete your home cinema system?
We put all the top kit to the test – from 4K UHD Blu-ray players to projectors, 4K televisions and surround sound speaker packages, we’ve got the lot.
Our main test sees six fantastic 5.1 speaker packages go up against each other for the right to be crowned our test winner. With superb packages from Wharfedale, Q Acoustics, Dali, Monitor Audio and PMC, your movies will have never sounded this good. But which one comes out on top?
We also review 4K Blu-ray players from Panasonic, Sony and Cambridge Audio, plus TVs from LG, Panasonic and Samsung in our First Tests section. However, for that really big-screen experience, you may want to consider a projector – our October issue features four of the best models from Optoma, Sony and JVC.
First place
The lead review in the October issue’s First Tests section features the Samsung QE55Q8DN television, which we say is “one of the sharpest 4K performances available”. Still not convinced? We have two more television reviews, the LG OLED55B8PLA and the Panasonic TX-55FZ952.
We also review the Elac Miracord 70 turntable and the Cowon Plenue J music player, and if it’s speakers you want, we’ve got that covered too, with reviews of B&W’s 705 S2 and Spendor’s A7 models, plus Audio Pro’s Addon C3 multi-room speakers.
There’s also a projector, the ViewSonic M1, and the Fiio Q5 DAC. And finally, we review the Sony HT-ZF9 Dolby Atmos soundbar. It features virtual processing to recreate the effect of Dolby Atmos surround sound, but is this Sony soundbar heading in the right direction?
Break the bank
In Temptations this month, we test the PMC Cor integrated amplifier and a high-end pair of headphones, the Sennheiser HD 820s. Together, that’s over £7k worth of kit, but are these products worth breaking the bank for?
Our That Was Then feature looks back at the Acoustic Energy AE2 Signature speakers. We cast a modern eye over these 1990s classics to see how they compare with the latest generation of Signatures.
Plus: Don’t miss our special offer – free rock, blues and vinyl collector’s Bookazines (worth £30) – when you subscribe to What Hi-Fi?
The October issue is not to be missed. So grab a copy of What Hi-Fi? from your local newsagents today. Or simply download it onto your tablet or smartphone. Enjoy!
You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition