Sound + Image March - April 2022

The digital edition of Sound+Image which you’re reading is normally a straight digital transfer of the files from which we print the magazine. But for this issue’s digital edition I wrote a special message for our print-edition readers, and I’m trying to keep that off the internet, for reasons that I’ve outlined in the comment piece that they’re seeing, but you’re not. Don’t feel too neglected, however! The rest of the magazine is entirely intact and full of goodies. And besides, you’re getting this special message of your own. I’m a fan of the digital issues myself, as the magazine looks so bright and shiny with the back-illumination of a screen, and of course the page design over which we take so much time remains intact, whereas the later internet versions…

The digital edition of Sound+Image which you’re reading is normally a straight digital transfer of the files from which we print the magazine. But for this issue’s digital edition I wrote a special message for our print-edition readers, and I’m trying to keep that off the internet, for reasons that I’ve outlined in the comment piece that they’re seeing, but you’re not. Don’t feel too neglected, however! The rest of the magazine is entirely intact and full of goodies. And besides, you’re getting this special message of your own. I’m a fan of the digital issues myself, as the magazine looks so bright and shiny with the back-illumination of a screen, and of course the page design over which we take so much time remains intact, whereas the later internet…

SONY & SAMSUNG DEBUT QD-OLED TVs At CES 2022 in Las Vegas both Sony and Samsung brought the screen technology considered the major new competitor to OLED. Sony (pictured above) calls it QD-OLED, while Samsung, which has hitherto had a commercial stance competitive to OLED, is therefore understandably labelling the new panel technology as QD-Display. The new technology was developed by Samsung Display. The key difference from LG’s OLED panels, as used by all current OLED models, is the use of quantum dots to deliver true RGB without LG’s additional white pixel. That in turn allows a less aggressive colour filter. Samsung’s news broke early via a CES Innovation Award, which revealed the 65-inch QD-Display as “the world’s first true RGB self-emitting Quantum Dot OLED display... combining the contrast levels of RGB OLED…

THE CHALLENGE In this new series of Dealer Systems, we ask a hi-fi dealer to recommend a hi-fi system. It can be a vinyl-based system, a disc-, file- or streaming-based system, or an all-rounder. The dealer can pick the price-point. This is, of course, unusual freedom for them. A good hi-fi dealer will ask about your musical preferences, your home, the way you listen, as well as budget, so that they can help you find the perfect hi-fi for the job. But here they have free rein to pick something that’s been impressing themselves. The Audio Tailor in Brisbane has chosen a streaming system which totals under $10k including connecting cables, with a German source, a Norwegian amplifier and Finnish speakers. “The system is based around providing a seamless match of equipment to suit…

CEDIA is the global industry association for residential technology, with its annual Awards programme recognising technical excellence, product innovation and individual professionals succeeding in the home technology industry. The three CEDIA regions each have their own winners, which then go forward to be considered for CEDIA’s global awards. Australia is part of the Asia-Pacific region, and we’re delighted to be able to bring you all the finalists for the recently-announced CEDIA 2021 awards. The main project categories are for Home Cinemas and Integrated Homes at different levels; this issue we’re showing you the home cinemas, and next issue we’ll move on to the complete and invariably spectacular homes that have been vying for CEDIA recognition. With great thanks to Paul Skelton and the extended CEDIA team for their help, let’s peer into…

AV receivers have always been large components. Inside they need the room for five or more amplifiers, each requiring enough space into which they can ventilate heat. Outside, meanwhile, their rear panels dazzle with an often bewildering array of rear-panel socketry catering to audio and video connections both modern and legacy. To accommodate all this, and to do their job, then, home cinema receivers and amplifiers have always been full-width, double-height products that inevitably dominate an equipment rack. And yet we’ve long wondered if this was really necessary. HDMI has simplified AV connections, using one plug where five were once necessary. Meanwhile the rise of efficient Class-D amplification has reduced if not entirely removed the problem of heat generation by multiple amplifiers. So we were delighted to discover Canton’s Smart 5.1, which is…