Home Cinema Choice Aug-18

Reacquainting myself with a catalogue of classic film scores for our roundup this issue (see p23) has been an absolute blast – even if I have spent much of the last month unable to stop humming the Batman theme. Home cinema fans get the most immersive visual experience around, but we also get some of the best, most expertly recorded music going. It's worth celebrating. Unfortunately, not all of it is widely available to own in physical form outside of the movie's Blu-ray disc – and when it is, can be very costly. Fancy kicking back with a CD of the Enter The Dragon soundtrack? That'll be £23. Want it on vinyl? Twice as much again. The good news is The Greatest Showman's OST has smashed records and remained at…

John Archer: The experienced TV tester cut his teeth as an early HCC staffer Jon Thompson: Film producer and post-production expert delves into Hollywood and AV Steve May: HCC’s former Ed. is one of the UK’s most respected AV journos Martin Pipe: Technical expert Martin is renown throughout the industry Richard Stevenson: Former Editor of the UK CE trade journal ERT Ed Selley: Audiophile Ed mixes his home cinema passion with a love of vinyl Vincent Teoh: Professional video calibrator writes about technology and tweaking…

Monitor Audio has added a pair of new models to its premium 'Controlled Performance' (CP) in-wall speaker stable. The ribbon tweeter-based CPIW460X (pictured, £1,350) and dome tweeter-based CP-IW260X (£850) are both three-way designs using 6.5in bass drivers and 4in mid-range units. Suitable for both horizontal and vertical installations (the ribbon tweeter module is rotatable), the speakers feature closed-back enclosures and claim an easy fit via a patented Tri-Grip mounting system. HCC ONLINE… For breaking AV news, blogs, features and reviews visit www.homecinemachoice.com Follow us on Twitter @hccmag Like us on Facebook facebook.com/homecinemachoice…

With its Beam soundbar, Sonos is adding Amazon Alexa voice control and targeting a more mass-market price point (£400) than its larger Playbar. The Beam – available in black or white finishes – packs four full-range drivers, a single tweeter and trio of passive bass radiators. HDMI (ARC) and digital optical audio inputs provide TV hookup; partner it with a Sonos SUB and Play:1 speakers for 5.1 audio. 'We believe we've created the best, most versatile, smart speaker in the world,' says the company. Atmos trio to hit the UK French corp AV Industry has announced affordable Dolby-certified Atmos upfiring modules from its three loudspeaker brands (Elipson, Tangent and Eltax) are arriving at UK retailers. All models are designed to fit snugly atop floorstanding speakers from the companies, but there's…

Polk Audio has essentially partnered an Amazon Dot with a 2.1 soundbar, and it seems like a marriage made in heaven. The Polk Command Bar is the first soundbar to launch with full Alexa voice control and functionality. Like any other Amazon smart device, it's able to control thermostats and manage smart lighting systems, as well as navigate your music and tell the occasional joke. What's more, there's a perfectly proportioned space on the back to accommodate an Amazon Fire TV stick, complete with USB power. The package will suit most larger screen sizes. It stands 50.8mm tall, and can be either placed on a table or wall-mounted using built-in keyholes slots. Behind the grille are two 3in full-range drivers and twin 1in tweeters. The bar partners wirelessly to a…

Black Panther (Ultra HD Blu-ray) This Marvel blockbuster marks a new milestone for black superheroes and provides a truly regal viewing experience on 4K Blu-ray. Wakanda forever, indeed! Accident Man (R2 DVD) British action star Scott Adkins plays a hitman with a conscience in this enjoyable comic book flick. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (All-region BD) Not only is the fifth M:I an audio-visual tour de force on Blu-ray, but it's also the perfect way to prepare for the upcoming sequel. Grease (Ultra HD Blu-ray) The musical smash looks and sounds better than ever on this 40th anniversary 4K platter. Vigil (All-region BD) Arrow's trip through New Zealand cinema continues with a BD outing for Vincent Ward's haunting debut.…