Home Cinema Choice Spring 2022

News from South Korea that both LG and Samsung enjoyed bonanza sales of OLED and QLED TVs respectively in 2021 didn’t come as much of a surprise – ever since the beginning of the Covid pandemic, there seems to have been more of an acceptance that staying home, feet up, in front of the telly is not at all a waste of time. This issue, however, features two cinema spaces where that idea has been taken a little further. On p22, we visit a high-end JBL Synthesis demo room that began taking shape when the first lockdown arrived, and is now ready to (literally) rumble, while on p82 we tour HCC reader Steve’s DIY home theatre. The seed for this project was also sown in spring 2020 – ‘cinemas were…

News from South Korea that both LG and Samsung enjoyed bonanza sales of OLED and QLED TVs respectively in 2021 didn’t come as much of a surprise – ever since the beginning of the Covid pandemic, there seems to have been more of an acceptance that staying home, feet up, in front of the telly is not at all a waste of time. This issue, however, features two cinema spaces where that idea has been taken a little further. On p22, we visit a high-end JBL Synthesis demo room that began taking shape when the first lockdown arrived, and is now ready to (literally) rumble, while on p82 we tour HCC reader Steve’s DIY home theatre. The seed for this project was also sown in spring 2020 – ‘cinemas were closed…

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 Anton van Beek: Our avid movie watcher and disc collector cut his teeth on Total DVD 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 Steve Withers: Movie fan, display calibrator and object-based audio obsessive…

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 Anton van Beek: Our avid movie watcher and disc collector cut his teeth on Total DVD 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 Steve Withers: Movie fan, display calibrator and object-based audio obsessive…

→ NEWS HIGHLIGHTS ARCAM AVR range and processor revamped KEF Blade and Reference speakers get Meta… TEARS FOR FEARS Brit duo discuss making music in Dolby Atmos AT THE PLEX This month’s cinema releases NEWS X10 The hottest news stories in bite-sized chunks RAISED BY WOLVES HBO’s hit TV sci-fi blasts off on Blu-ray & MORE! Bowers & Wilkins has returned to its Panorama soundbar and given it a Dolby Atmos overhaul. Available now for £899, the Panorama 3 maintains the single-chassis ethos of 2013’s Panorama 2, but introduces twin upfiring drivers to an array comprising two-way L/C/R units and onboard woofers. Wired connections are optical and HDMI eARC, backed up by streaming audio through B&W’s Music App, Bluetooth, AirPlay and Spotify Connect. Turn to p16 for our first impressions. HCC ONLINE… For…

→ NEWS HIGHLIGHTS ARCAM AVR range and processor revamped KEF Blade and Reference speakers get Meta… TEARS FOR FEARS Brit duo discuss making music in Dolby Atmos AT THE PLEX This month’s cinema releases NEWS X10 The hottest news stories in bite-sized chunks RAISED BY WOLVES HBO’s hit TV sci-fi blasts off on Blu-ray & MORE! Bowers & Wilkins has returned to its Panorama soundbar and given it a Dolby Atmos overhaul. Available now for £899, the Panorama 3 maintains the single-chassis ethos of 2013’s Panorama 2, but introduces twin upfiring drivers to an array comprising two-way L/C/R units and onboard woofers. Wired connections are optical and HDMI eARC, backed up by streaming audio through B&W’s Music App, Bluetooth, AirPlay and Spotify Connect. Turn to p16 for our first impressions.…