Home Cinema Choice Magazine - March 2024
In this issue
Not one cover star this issue but two! Do Marantz’s AV 10 15.4-channel processor and 16-channel AMP 10 power amplifier offer the premium AV experience their flagship status demands? We fire up this feature-rich separates system to find out…
Also on the test bench is Philips’ 55in OLED+908, the TV maker’s first OLED screen with a high-brightness MLA panel. We also run the rule over B&W’s latest 600 Series speakers in a 5.1 package; a high-value 98in LED TV from TCL; Perlisten’s dual-driver R212s subwoofer; the Ambeo Mini soundbar from Sennheiser; Hisense’s PX2-PRO ultra-short-throw 4K projector; an affordable streaming amp from WiiM; and more. Whatever your budget, we’ve got you covered!
On the software side, we check out new disc and streaming releases including The Creator, The Marvels and Masters of the Air. We also throw the spotlight on 25 binge-worthy Blu-ray boxsets, and remember the Gothic brilliance of Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula as it’s reborn on 4K Blu-ray Steelbook.
Elsewhere, we step inside a stunning pro cinema install, check out the pro AV highlights of the ISE show, kick back in a stylish but tech-tastic demo room, and wonder if Freely is the next big thing in terrestrial TV…
Plus: all the usual opinions, news, disc reviews and competitions. Enjoy the show!
AV Avenger
You should think twice before accepting an invitation to play Resident Evil 4 with spatial audio in a haunted prison, warns Steve May
2 mins
Catalogue classic Star Wars: Ep. VI - Return of the Jedi → Ultra HD Blu-ray, Disney
Forty years on from the movie's cinema release, Anton van Beek ponders what might have been if things had gone a little diff erently during the making of Return of the Jedi…
4 mins
Feedback
Got an axe to grind? Need to comment on current tech? Want to share your knowledge with our readers? Team HCC is here to help
4 mins
M&K Sound V12
TIME ON TEST: Three years REVIEWER: Steve Withers
4 mins
Sony 'bar demands to be upgraded
This well-specified Dolby Atmos soundbar may have a mid-range price tag, but you'll soon want to spend more, cautions Steve May
4 mins
Short and sweet
Marantz's compact AV receiver returns with a new look and boosted features – Jamie Biesemans slips it into his AV rig
5 mins
Discreet delivery
A slim, stylish Scandinavian on-wall system impresses Mark Craven with its handling of the sweet stuff
5 mins
One project, two rooms
Dan Sait reports on a custom install where a JVC PJ/ Atmos system is joined by a stylish media den
2 mins
THE KING OF B RDA HOLLYWOOD
Three of his movies have taken over $2billon at the global box office, he's pioneered SFX and 3D technologies, and he's been to the very bottom of the Pacific Ocean. That's James Cameron by the way, not Anton van Beek
10+ mins
System selector!
Given three similar budgets, Mark Craven, Steve May and John Archer assemble three different AV setups focused on movies, streaming and gaming
8 mins
Amazon enters TV and games jungle
The launch of the Omni QLED shows the media corp is getting serious about the TV biz, says Steve May, and it has its eye on joystick junkies too
5 mins
Digital Copy
A spot of spring cleaning leads Mark Craven to spend the afternoon watching 1980s Richard Pryor comedies, deciding who lives in Final Destination 3, and falling back in love with DVD
2 mins
Sky Glass
WE'RE ALL USED to firmware updates that fix bugs and generally polish the usability of our connected AV kit, but rarely, if ever, has a product had quite such a postlaunch overhaul as Sky Glass.
4 mins
Anthem's amp of power and glory
This high-grade five-channel amplifier tops the Canadian maker's lineup, and shows Steve Withers the true meaning of dynamic range
4 mins
Don't cut out the middle man
Philios' new mid-range OLED TV might just be its best all-rounder yet, decides John Archer
4 mins
Premium deck is a universal soldier
The Magnetar brand may be largely unknown, but its first high-end disc spinner is hard to resist, says Steve May
5 mins
Budget models made better
Does this upgraded entry-level speaker range still offer the best bang for your buck? Steve Withers finds out
5 mins
Having it large!
This 75in Mini LED adds another useful dimension to Sony's already diverse range, writes John Archer
5 mins
Denon's blast from the past
Richard Stevenson salutes the no-stone-unturned approach of this monster 15.4-channel AV amplifier |
8 mins
Dirac
This room correction system has been making (sound) waves over the last few years, but how does it work and is it really that good? Steve Withers investigates
3 mins
Same again, please!
The owner of this basement cinema loved his old setup so much he wanted it replicated - but better. Daniel Sait reports
2 mins
YOU'LL DIE LAUGHING - 30 HILARIOUS HORROR COMEDIES
Anton van Beek and Mark Craven trawl through 90 years of cinema to celebrate the flicks that are guaranteed to raise a smile - even when they're loaded with ghosts, killers, monsters and more...
10 mins
Bristol Hi-Fi Show returns for 2023
The long-running audio showcase was back in business after a two-year hiatus, and and were there
6 mins
It's showtime!
Philips gets ahead of itself with a tantalising 2023 TV range preview. Steve May reports on things to come
4 mins
'Bring on the big four'
UK TV maker Mitchell Brown enters the QLED arena
1 min
AV Avenger
Could James Cameron's long-awaited return to Pandora with Avatar: The Way of Water kickstart a 3D TV revival? Steve May considers the evidence
2 mins
Catalogue classic: Cloverfield → Ultra HD Blu-ray, Paramount
Anton Van Beek powers up his camcorder and sets out to document the truth about the 2008 monster-sized box office smash
4 mins
The return of the mystery man
Daniel Craig is back in his frothy post-Bond franchise, now making its home on Netflix
2 mins
Ghostly goings on in Tokyo
Iconic Japanese fright franchise is resurrected on Arrow's multi-format boxset
2 mins
Guns and Rosaries
Jet-black comedy thriller still delights, but this 4K disc isn't quite the sharp-shooter
2 mins
Home Cinema Choice Magazine Description:
Publisher: MyTime Media Ltd.
Category: Entertainment
Language: English
Frequency: Monthly
Since 1995 Home Cinema Choice has been the must-buy magazine for AV enthusiasts. Published thirteen times a year, each issue provides in-depth, detailed reviews of the hardware products on your shortlist – from hi-def/4K televisions and projectors to AV receivers, speakers, Blu-ray players, soundbars and more. We also travel the world seeking out the latest tech and trends, provide advice and inspiration for your own cinema project and reveal the Blu-rays and DVDs you'll want to add to your collection.
- Cancel Anytime [ No Commitments ]
- Digital Only