Home Cinema -August 2022

HIGH-PERFORMANCE SOUND & VISION OBJECTS OF DESIRE!

The very best AV gear
money can buy... p22

LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Perfect pictures from Philips OLED807 Ambilight TV

ACTION BRING ON
STATIONS THE WALL

Michael Bay’s STUNNING XGIMI
Ambulance kicks AURA LASER
off our Blu-ray PROJECTOR
reviews, p86

Get Carter

Classic British
crime flick reborn
on 4K Blu-ray

On Test FILM & TV

REL HT/1510 sub ■ THE BATMAN
Epson EH-LS12000 PJ ■ THE NORTHMAN
Devialet Dione Dolby ■ THE TERMINAL LIST
Atmos soundbar ■ TENEBRAE ■ THE
Trinnov power amp
TCL 4K Mini LED TV UNTOUCHABLES
Polk MagniFi Mini AX ■ LOST CITY ■ THE
QUARRY ■ & MORE!
Inside GEAR GUIDE ➜ COMPETITIONS ➜ CABASSE PEARL KESHI SYSTEM
www.homecinemachoice.com
➜ UK CULT BLU-RAY LABELS ➜ CUSTOM CINEMA ROOM ➜ OPINION ➜ AND MORE
ISSUE 333 AUGUST 2022 £5.99
AUS- $15.99 NZ- $18.50 CAN- $18.99

OLED 807 series

Philips OLED with Ambilight.
The only OLED that goes
beyond the screen.

AMBILIGHT tv www.philips.com/oled

OPINION 3

Trinnov Amplitude16
power amplifier, p48

www.homecinemachoice.com Welcome

EDITORIAL TEAM You can't move for anniversary edition products at
Editor Mark Craven the moment – see Monitor Audio marking its 50th
[email protected] birthday with the Concept 50 loudspeaker, p10 – and
Art Editor John Rook it makes total sense. If your company has a storied

CONTRIBUTORS past, why wouldn't you leverage that to appeal to new
Steve May, Anton van Beek, John Archer, Steve Withers,
Rik Henderson, Jon Thompson, Richard Stevenson customers? When you discover that Denon has been
in the audio game for over 110 years, you figure it
Photography Mike Prior
knows a thing or two about AV receivers.
ADVERTISING Chinese companies Xgimi and TCL don't have that advantage.
Advertising Sales Executive Both are relatively young, and have only gained UK distribution in
Richard Morris the last few years. Their way to grab attention? By going big on
Mob: 07834 346461 value for money – Xgimi's Aura projector (p52) and TCL's C835K
E-mail: [email protected] TV (p60) have serious wallet appeal. So perhaps, in the future,

MARKETING AND SUBSCRIPTIONS these brands will be launching celebratory 50th birthday
UK: New, Renewals and Enquiries products of their own.
Tel: 0344 243 9023
E-mail: [email protected] Editor
USA & CANADA:
Toll Free: 001 866 647 9191 28 85 60
REST OF WORLD: New, Renewals and Enquiries
Tel: +44 (0) 1604 828 748
BACK ISSUES
www.mags-uk.com

MANAGEMENT TEAM
Group Editor Paul Miller, [email protected]
Group Sales Manager Sonia Smart
Subscriptions Manager Beth Ashby
Chief Executive Owen Davies

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Home Cinema Choice, ISSN 1359-6276, is published monthly with an additional
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AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

4 ISSUE 333/AUGUST 2022

22 07 CONTRIBUTORS
28
John Archer:
16 The experienced
TV tester cut his
teeth as an early
HCC sta er

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

FEATURES BULLETIN REGULARS

In-depth interviews and special reports. The place for hot products, trends Whether you want our opinions or your
Starts... p22 and technology. Starts... p7 own, here's where to look. Starts... p75

COVER STORY 07 Sony's got game 75 Digital Copy

22 Objects of desire INZONE gaming hardware launched Mark Craven wonders what happened to the
'8K revolution'
Meet the world's most outrageous and 08 Series finale
most covetable AV hardware 76 Film Fanatic
Acoustic Energy AE1202 floorstanders
28 Journey of discovery Top Gun: Maverick has broken records for
09 ITV scrubs Hub, finds X Paramount Pictures, so why did Pixar's
Love vintage TV, genre classics, and the best Lightyear fail to take o ?
of British film? These UK BD labels are for you Video-on-demand service reborn with focus
on 'new, fresh content' 78 Feedback
38 Dream Theatre
10 Monitor Audio's big idea You share your thoughts on Onkyo,
Need inspiration for your own AV project? soundbars and missing films on 4K BD
Check out this dining room do-over Prototype flagship speaker breaks cover
114 AV Avenger
COVER STORY 12 Piega upgrades Coax line
Steve May is waiting impatiently for
98 Catalogue classic Swiss brand cuts some new ribbons... streaming service Paramount+ to sort out
its sound and vision shortfalls
Michael Caine is Jack Carter! 13 News x10
COMPETITIONS
SELECT AV stories in bite-sized chunks
82 Great Blu-rays to be won!
The place to look if you're planning to buy 14 Full speed ahead!
some new AV gear. Starts... p101 Get Carter [1971] 4K, The Unbearable Weight
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 races to 4K Blu-ray of Massive Talent 4K, Belle and The Outfit up
101 Gear guide for grabs
16 Tech Talk
HCC's comprehensive Top 10s/15s list
only the very best kit money can buy Room correction explained

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

SUBSCRIBE! Sign up to the world’s best AV magazine
to save money and never miss an issue p20

40 44
48
'HDR highlights are more intense than
I’ve seen from any OLED TV to date'

52

56

REVIEWS 88

With a focus on performance, these are in-depth tests you can trust... p39 PLAYBACK

COVER STORY system for space-starved setups The latest Blu-rays, DVDs, games and
books reviewed and rated. Starts... p85
40 Philips 55OLED807 60 TCL 65C835K
86 Ambulance [4K]
Ambilight illumination, advanced processing 4K Mini LED TV no longer playing catch-up 87 Singin' in the Rain [4K]; The Unbearable
and a brighter 'EX' panel make this mid-range with its European siblings
OLED TV a stunning proposition Weight of Massive Talent [4K]; The Green
64 Loewe Klang bar5mr Knight: Limited Ed. [4K]; The Lost City [4K]
44 Devialet Dione 88 The Batman [4K]
Dolby Atmos soundbar system can expand 90 The Quarry [PS5/Xbox Series X/S]; Get
Debut soundbar from the French audiophile its soundstage with wireless rears Carter [1971] [4K]; Tenebrae: Limited
marque brings premium style and proprietary Edition [4K]; Dirty Dancing [4K]
tech to Dolby Atmos sonics 91 The Northman [4K]
92 Columbia Noir #5: Humphrey Bogart
48 Trinnov Amplitude16 68 Epson EH-LS12000B 94 The Untouchables [4K]; The Discreet
Charm of the Bourgeoisie [4K]; The Card
16-channel Class D power amp is the perfect We cheer for the return of Epson's laser- Counter; Belle; Rock 'n' Roll High School
partner for the brand's Altitude processors powered 4K LCD projector 95 Beverly Hills Cop II [4K]; We're All Going to
the World's Fair; The Duke; The Burning
52 Xgimi Aura 70 Cabasse Pearl Keshi Sea; The Worst Person in the World
96 The Terminal List [Prime Video]; Ms.
Flagship ultra-short-throw projector shows the Great balls of fire – this slick-looking 2.1 Marvel [Disney+]
Chinese company means business system rocks!
AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE
56 REL HT/1510 Predator

Is this keenly priced 15in subwoofer proof that
sequels can be better than the original?

58 Polk MagniFi Mini AX Pearl by name,
pearl by nature?
Ultra-compact soundbar and subwoofer

Bring large screen
entertainment home

With the worlds most compact native
4K laser Home Cinema projectors

Experience the ultimate big-screen viewing experience
with the VPL-XW5000ES and VPL-XW7000ES.

Immerse yourself in vibrant, punchy images with up to
3,200 lumens of brightness. You’ll enjoy crisp pictures
full of lifelike colours, even in brightly lit living rooms,
home cinemas or media rooms.

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WWW.HOMECINEMACHOICE.COM 7

BULLETIN

➜News highlights MONITOR AUDIO Flagship 'Concept 50' loudspeaker unveiled

ITV Hub streaming service to be replaced by ITVX ACOUSTIC ENERGY 100 Series gains three-way
floorstander AT THE PLEX This month's cinema releases NEWS X10 Hot news stories in bite-
sized chunks SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2 Speedy hero returns on 4K Blu-ray & MORE!

Sony's got game

Sony INZONE M9➜www.sony.co.uk

Joystick junkies are the target audience of ONLINE…
a new hardware range from Sony, dubbed
INZONE. Initially comprising monitor and For breaking AV news, blogs, features and
'360 Spatial Sound' headsets, the product lineup is reviews visit www.homecinemachoice.com
topped by the £999 M9 display (pictured). With Auto Follow us on Twitter @hccmag
HDR Tone Mapping to optimise video performance Like us on Facebook
from a PS5, this stylish 27in screen features a 4K facebook.com/homecinemachoice
panel with local dimming LED backlight and claims
95 per cent coverage of the DCI-P3 colour space. AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE
Refresh rates up to 144Hz are supported, plus VRR.

8 ACOUSTIC ENERGY/PL AYLIST

Series finale

Acoustic Energy AE1202 ➜www.acoustic-energy.co.uk

Loudspeaker brand Acoustic Energy has
capped its recently relaunched, entry-level
100 Series with a new flagship model.
The £799-per-pair AE1202 is a three-way
floorstander, partnering twin 5.25in bass
drivers with a 5.25in mid-range and 1in tweeter
with Wide Dispersion Technology (WDT)
waveguide. The speaker's 15mm-thick HDF
cabinet is mass-loaded to reduce vibrations,
and finished in a black or walnut veneer.
The movie-friendly series also features centre
channel (AE1072), bookshelf (AE1002) and
incoming AE1082 active subwoofer models.

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

BULLETIN 9

B&W revamps Px7 'phones Diamond anniversary for Rotel Playlist...

Bowers & Wilkins has To celebrate its What Team HCC has been
upgraded its Px7 headphones 60th year, Japanese watching this month
to 'S2' status. Priced £379, audio outfit Rotel Malignant (4K BD)
these wireless cans has unveiled a pair
feature a new active noise of Diamond Series This UHD upgrade of James Wan’s
cancellation (ANC) system separates. Priced unhinged 2021 horror fills the
and upgraded internal £3,999, the RA-6000 is a 2 x 200W Class AB screen with rich and detailed
microphone, new custom- integrated amplifier utilising technologies first 4K HDR10 visuals.
designed 40mm drive units, and a slimmer devised for the company's high-end Michi
profile design. Input options are Bluetooth series, and o ering a range of inputs including Wrath of Man (BD)
(with aptX Adaptive), USB-C or 3.5mm, with USB-B, Bluetooth and MM phono. Joining it is
sound performance fettled by proprietary the £1,999 DT-6000 DAC Transport, which Having debuted on Prime Video
B&W signal processing. EQ selection and combines CD playback with a high-spec last year, Guy Ritchie’s action-
ANC adjustment can be carried out through 32-bit/384kHz DAC stage and USB, coaxial packed reunion with Jason
the company's partnering Music app. and optical digital inputs. Statham is now on UK Blu-ray.
www.bowerswilkins.com www.rotel.com
Pink Flamingos (BD)
ITV scrubs Hub, finds X
John Waters’ notorious 1972
Video-on-demand service to relaunch with focus on 'new, fresh content' ‘bad taste classic' is now available
fully uncut in the UK thanks to
ITV has announced plans to revamp its ITV Hub Lenny Henry's six-part The Criterion Collection.
streaming platform later this year, replacing it with drama The Little Birds.
a new service called ITVX. Dr. Who and the Daleks
Kevin Lygo, managing (4K BD)
The company describes it as 'the UK’s first director of media and
integrated advertising and subscription funded entertainment at ITV, UHD release for the time traveller’s
(AVOD/SVOD) platform'. This is because it will come says ITVX gives the first cinema outing exterminates
in two tiers – one free (with adverts), and another company a chance all previous versions with its
premium option (price TBC) that removes to 'scale up' its streaming ambitions. colourful 4K restoration.
advertising and adds access to content from 'Our broadcast channels are very important to
the BBC/ITV/Channel 5 joint-venture Britbox. what we do, and we are still focused on delivering Dexter: New Blood (BD)
what ITV does better than anyone in commercial
Another key difference will be a greater emphasis TV – creating programmes that bring audiences This revival miniseries finally gives
on exclusive content, with the broadcaster opting together, in-the-moment, in their millions, for that Michael C Hall’s serial killer the
to premiere 'much' of its new series on ITVX, before shared viewing, scheduled TV experience. However send-o he deserves.
airing them across its linear TV channels 'six to nine we know we have to deliver our programmes to as
months later'. many people as possible in all the ways they want
to watch them.'
Spying an opportunity ITVX will offer movies as well as TV series, with
plans to have a 'constantly refreshed' selection of 150
This 'digital first windowing strategy' will include titles available at any time. It will also stream ITV's
debuts for limited series A Spy Among Friends, linear channels, and introduce a rotating range of
starring Damian Lewis and Guy Pearce; Litvinenko, themed 'pop-up' channels. Described as offering 'the
featuring David Tennant; Russell T. Davies' biopic lean-back experience of watching
series Nolly, starring Helena Bonham-Carter, and a curated, scheduled channel',
these will include 'True Crime'
Guy Pearce and Damian and '90s Favourites' at launch.
Lewis in upcoming ITVX The launch date for ITVX, which
show A Spy Among Friends will feature around 15,000 hours
of on-demand content, has not yet
been confirmed. It should, however,
arrive before the FIFA World Cup
2022, which begins in November,
as ITV says the platform will offer
simulcasts of tournament games
airing on ITV channels.
While we wait, the broadcaster
says it will grow the amount of
content available on ITV Hub.
www.itvx.com

AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

10 CONCEPT 50/NAD AMP

At the 'plex… Monitor Audio's big idea

Heading out to see a flick? Monster Concept 50 loudspeaker, weighing 96kg, arriving late 2022
Catch these this month
Bass drivers in each side enclosure of the
DC League of Super-Pets Concept 50 fire into the gap between

July 29: Ahead of the upcoming
Black Adam, Dwayne Johnson
pops up in another DC Comics
movie, voicing Superman’s dog
Krypto in a CG animation
about a team of super-powered
pets on a mission to rescue the
Justice League.

Bullet Train

August 3: A down-on-his-luck Monitor Audio has announced a new flagship Bass drivers, which contribute to a claimed
assassin, tasked with collecting a model that it says will enter production later this low-end reach of 21Hz, are housed within the two
briefcase on a Bullet Train heading year. Currently named 'Concept 50', it made its side cabinets and are not visible until you peer inside
from Tokyo to Kyoto, discovers debut as a prototype at the Munich High End show. the gap between. The Concept 50 uses four 200mm
the train is full of competing woofers, arranged in anchored, inward-firing
professional killers. Zippy action- Pricing isn't finalised, and there's also the 'force-cancelling' pairs.
comedy starring Brad Pitt. possibility the company may arrive at a different
product name, but plenty of specification details The speaker's main enclosures are down-ported
Nope have been revealed. and made from thermoformed mineral/acrylic stone.
A 3D-printed 'acoustic resin', on a solid aluminium
August 12: Shrouded in secrecy, A towering 1.3m-high, 96kg three-way, the ba e, is used for the 'Array'.
not much is known about horror speaker features an unusual chassis configuration
writer/director Jordan Peele’s with two full-size cabinets positioned either side Monitor Audio says development of the Concept
latest beyond trailers focusing on of a central mid/treble array. Called, somewhat 50 began two years as 'an experiment', and it has
abnormal events in an isolated US unimaginatively, ‘The Array’, this mounts six 50mm been designed 'to deliver unrivalled sound like
town and glimpses of people mid-range drivers around what the brand says is the no other loudspeaker on the market.' No doubt
being sucked up into the sky... ‘definitive’ version of its Micro Pleated Diaphragm it will cost more than many others too...
(MPD) tweeter, for 'single point source' dispersion. www.monitoraudio.com

NAD C Series amp welcomes TV

Slim-line two-channel C 389 adds eARC connectivity to Class D power

As well as the wired headphone out, Those looking for an integrated 'hi-fi' amplifier available out-of-the-box. Network streaming
the C 389 has two-way Bluetooth, that will play nicely with their TV can add NAD's (plus Dirac room correction) can be added via NAD's
enabling streaming to wireless cans new C 389 to the list. optional BluOS module, which slots into one of the
amp's Modular Design Construction (MDC) bays.
This latest addition to the Canadian corp's
C series is priced £1,299 and includes an HDMI The C 389 has A/B speaker terminals tethered
to a claimed 2 x 130W power stage based around
eARC connection, as well as twin subwoofer HybridDigital UcD amplifier modules. Digital-to-
outputs, for 2.1-channel playback analogue conversion is handled by a 32-bit/384kHz
of movie and TV content. ESS Sabre DAC. Other features are an integrated
Naturally, it also caters to headphone amplifier, 12V trigger and RS-232
music sources – wired inputs connections for system integration, pre-amp output
are 2 x coaxial, 2 x optical, 2 x and colour front-panel display.
analogue line-level and MM www.nadelectronics.com

phono, while Bluetooth (aptX HD) is

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

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12 STORMAUDIO/NEWS X10

Press play Piega upgrades Coax line

Discs spinning your way New ribbon drivers and cabinet designs for quartet of 'Gen2' speakers
in the coming month…
Swiss loudspeaker manufacturer The range features centre,
July 25 Piega has revised its high-end floorstander and standmount models
Coax range, and will launch four
Beware My Brethren new models this September. and vibrations are tackled by an update on Piega's
Billion Dollar Brain 'Tension Improve Module' (TIM) technology, which
The Burning Sea With two floorstanders, a puts the cabinet under tension in 'critical areas'.
Dog Soldiers 4K standmount model and centre
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets channel unit, the Coax Gen2 series is Second in the range is the slimmer Coax 611
of Dumbledore 4K aimed at both music and movie lovers floorstander (£14,900), which features five 6.25in
Get Carter 4K [1971] – albeit ones with deep pockets. UHQD units, two of them again passive. Piega's
Giallo Essentials: Black Edition standmount model, the £7,900 Coax 411, partners
The Gilded Age: Season One The primary upgrade over the its ribbon MF/HF driver with a single 6.25in woofer,
Memoria: Collector’s Edition previous generation is Piega's while the centre model (Coax Center 211, £4,900)
The Phantom of the Open tweeter/mid-range unit, a distinctive doubles up on bass drivers.
Pink Flamingos presence on all four speakers.
Running Out of Time 1 & 2 Coming in 'C112+' and 'C212+' guise All four models have a suggested nominal
Summertime (depending on speaker model), impedance of 4ohms, and sensitivity ratings of
Tiger Cage Trilogy these in-house drivers feature folded 90dB (611, 411 and 211) or 92dB (811).
'wafer-thin' aluminium foil ribbons,
August 1 the higher-frequency element 'Coax Gen2 has been about refining our already
mounted within the mid-band section. New for this impressive Coax loudspeaker design', says Piega
Benedetta 4K generation are an additional neodymium magnet CEO Manuel Greiner. 'Nothing has been left
The Brain [1988] to improve tweeter efficiency, new driver foil coating untouched, and each element is precisely tuned to
Das Boot: Season Three to better control frequency response, and a braced, the other parts of the acoustic system. The audible
Edge of Tomorrow: Col. Ed. 4K solid aluminium chassis. result is impressive, with even more dynamics, finer
Flatliners 4K [1990] details and impressive spatiality.'
The Invisible Man: Complete Series All aluminium www.piega.ch
The Outfit 4K
Water Gate Bridge The top of the range o ering is the Coax 811,
a three-way tower speaker with a reassuringly
August 8 expensive price tag of £26,900 per pair (in standard

Event Horizon: 25th Ann. Ed. 4K aluminium finish) or
The Flying Guillotine II £27,500 for anodised
Heat 4K black or white lacquer
L’Argent variants. This adds
The Midwich Cuckoos a quartet of Piega's
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 4K 8.5in UHQD bass
The Trial of Joan of Arc drivers (two working
as passive radiators)
August 15 in an all-aluminium
cabinet, a brand
The Breaking Point speciality. Resonances
Firestarter [2022]
Indiana Jones and the Last Mk3 for StormAudio processor
Crusade 4K Steelbook
Man Without a Star Revamped ISP Elite promises 'the best sound performance in any home theatre'
Umberto D.
StormAudio has revised its top-flight surround A modular design means the processor is sold in
August 22 sound preamp/processor, the ISP Elite. five variants, ranging from a 16-channel analogue
XLR output model to a 32-channel o ering with
Bergman Island The chief di erence between the new hardware digital AES/EBU. Pricing begins at around £13,000.
The Big Country and the previous Mk2 iteration is cosmetic,
Dragons Forever 4K with the ISP Elite Mk3 featuring a new full- Supported formats are Dolby Atmos, DTS:X (Pro),
Madigan colour display. There has, however, IMAX Enhanced and Auro-3D. A seven-in, two-out
Robin Hood at Hammer: Two Tales been an internal change.
from Sherwood Forest StormAudio says it has HDMI stage caters to 4K HDR
The Saphead improved its analogue/digital via 18Gbps connections.
The Swimmer 'hybrid' volume control to
Wolf [2021] create a 'more accurate, StormAudio has also
detailed and dynamic released new firmware (v4.3)
reproduction'. for its ISP range, improving
multizone functionality.
www.stormaudio.com

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

BULLETIN 13

This month’s top 10 news stories in handy, bite-sized chunks... Premiere...

6LSX revamped What's happening in the
Hot on the heels of its new LS60 Wireless world of TV and films
floorstanders (HCC #332), KEF has launched
a sequel to 2018’s LSX. Available for £1139, Back to the throne
the LSX II comprises two bookshelf cabinets with
11th-gen UniQ driver arrays, driven by 200W in-built With Game of Thrones prequel
amplification. Inputs include Wi-Fi (with AirPlay and House of the Dragon finally reaching
Chromecast), Bluetooth, USB and HDMI ARC. TV screens in August, HBO is now
apparently developing a second
1'Luke, I am your OLED!' 7He said he'd be back spin-o , this time a sequel series
LG and Disney have teamed up to release a Okay, that's a quote from the wrong movie, continuing the story of Kit
limited edition version of the former's C2 65in but Arnold Schwarzenegger's 1986 action Harrington’s Jon Snow.
OLED TV with Star Wars branding. The special thriller Raw Deal has been confirmed for a
set ships in packaging festooned with Darth Vader UK 4K Blu-ray release by Studiocanal. It will arrive Bear with us…
imagery, and emits the sound of the Sith Lord's September 22 toting a 'badass' 4K restoration and
infamous wheezing when starting up. Furthermore, newly commissioned artwork by graphic artist Not content with recently popping
it's bundled with a Star Wars-branded remote Flore Maquin. to Buckingham Palace for tea with
and features a user interface the Queen, Paddington Bear will
'designed to reflect 8LED's wait also be returning to cinemas with
a Lightsaber theme'. Taiwanese news Paddington in Peru. Award-winning
Annoyingly, the release is platform DigiTimes commercials director Douglas
capped at 501 units. Even has reported that Wilson is set to helm when cameras
more annoyingly, it's only on 'technical' problems with start rolling next year.
sale in the US and Germany. production will delay the
launch of Samsung's 76in, Duke it out
2Passif 88in, 96in and 110in Micro
aggressive LED TVs until at least 2024. Cobra Kai creators Josh Heald, Jon
PSB, the Canadian Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg
audio brand founded 9It's showtime are rumoured be gearing up to
The Paramount+ breathe fresh life into another
in 1972, has announced a streaming platform, defunct franchise. The trio has
celebratory 50th anniversary featuring new and reportedly signed on to produce
version of its original Passif II loudspeaker. Priced legacy TV and film content a bigscreen outing for 1990s
£2999, the retro-styled Passif 50 three-way culled from Paramount Pictures, Showtime and videogame icon Duke Nukem.
standmount will be on sale in August/September. elsewhere, is now available in the UK. Pricing is
currently £6.99 a month, with a seven-day trial
3Roon for some more? option. See p114 for more...
Arcam's AVR11, AVR21 and AVR31 receivers,
plus its AV41 processor, have joined the 10Nothing Else Platters
growing stable of Roon Ready devices, Austrian turntable maker Pro-Ject has
meaning they can play footsie with the hi-res teamed up with American thrash
streaming/music management platform. JBL metallers Metallica for a limited edition
Synthesis's SDR-35 and SDR-58 models have also vinyl spinner. Featuring a bonkers-looking angular
got the seal of approval. plinth, glass platter and electronic speed control of
its 'precision' belt drive, it'll cost you £1,149 when it
4 Get Back to Blu-ray debuts in August.
Peter Jackson's 468-minute documentary
series Get Back, which debuted on Disney+
in 2021, is now available on Blu-ray. Charting
The Beatles production of their Let It Be album using
reams of unseen footage and audio captured in 1970,
it will be split across three discs with Dolby Atmos
audio, and bundled with art cards of the Fab Four.

5Shoulda called it Sky-Fi...
The TV channel/on-demand hub SyFy,
available on the Sky platform, will be
rebranded Sky Sci-Fi on July 26. The
satcaster says the same beloved titles (including
Stargate and Quantum Leap) will remain, joined by a
slate of new acquisitions including the Stephen King
miniseries It and Salem's Lot.

AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

14 DISC PREVIEW

Full speed ahead!

Sonic the Hedgehog 2➜Paramount➜Ultra HD Blu-ray/Blu-ray

The rapid-fire follow-up to the hit 2020 and Blu-ray accompanied by over an hour
videogame adaptation Sonic the Hedgehog of bonus features, including an exclusive
is zooming onto disc on August 8. Pitting animated 'Sonic Drone Home' short.
Sonic and his sidekick Tails against returning Paramount is also releasing a Sonic the
villain Doctor Robotnick (Jim Carrey) and Hedgehog: 2-Movie Collection across 4K
newcomer Knuckles the Echidna (voiced by BD, BD and DVD on the same date – and
Idris Elba), the sequel arrives on 4K Blu-ray has confirmed a third film is in the works.

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

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16 ADVICE

Tech Talk #11

Room correction

Tackling unwanted acoustic issues in your home cinema isn't only about speaker positioning and
physical treatments – your AVR or processor can help too, says Mark Craven

Getting your home cinema working to its best can Anthem's ARC Genesis platform, which Running the process requires you to depart the
feel like a never-ending journey. HDR settings have runs on a PC/laptop, will show measured, room while measurements are collected, and can
to be adjusted, loudspeakers have to be positioned corrected and target curves take anywhere from minutes to hours depending
– and room correction has to be done. on the number of speakers in your setup, and the
The high-spec 3D microphone bundled number of measurement positions demanded.
It hasn't always been this way. In stereo music- with Trinnov's Altitude processors It's good practice to not always do the minimum
only systems, room correction is rarely employed, (below) features a quartet of mic required, though – the more data the system can
enthusiasts often preferring to position loudspeakers elements; Lyngdorf's MP-60 (bottom) trawl, the more nuanced its results will be.
via a process of a tape measure and trial and error, runs the brand's proprietary
and to 'dampen' a room's sound through some RoomPerfect calibration system Peaks and troughs
judicious use of soft furnishings and, perhaps, some
acoustic panels. These are all sensible steps, but If you're installing a new receiver, or new speakers,
room correction can be a vital extra helping hand, or have rearranged your room, you should definitely
especially in a multichannel, full-range environment. run room correction, and expect an obvious di erence
in sound performance, especially if there are no
The goal of room correction, as the name acoustic treatments in place. Most adjustments will
suggests, is to combat acoustical issues in your have been made in the low frequencies, as these are
room, caused by interactions between reflected where peaks and troughs are most likely to occur
frequencies, that a ect sound performance. In an – expect 'before' and 'after' graphs, if available,
ideal world, you want all channels in a setup to be to show a smoothing of the response curve below
level matched at the listening position, and the 500Hz (or higher, if the system allows it).
sound to reach you ears (and decay) when it should.
However, what you shouldn't expect is a post-
Typically, room correction is done in your AV correction response that accurately tracks the
receiver or processor, but there are standalone desired 'ruler-flat' target curve. High-frequency
devices available. An external microphone is used, anomalies in particular are nearly impossible to iron
although you might also come across room out without recourse to absorption and di usion
correction on a soundbar that uses an internal mic or treatments, as are bass nodes caused by the
the one on a smartphone. Some active loudspeakers
and subwoofers support room correction too. basic dimensions
of the room itself.
The process with AVRs and processors is generally Also, don't be afraid
the same – the supplied microphone measures test to make your own
tones emitted from all the speakers (and subs) in the adjustments – at the
array. Placed at the listening position (or a number of end of the day, sound
them), it will measure speaker distance, frequency quality is a matter
response and delay/reverberation characteristics of of personal taste ■
each channel. Armed with this data, the software in
the receiver, or in the case of higher-spec systems,
downloaded to a PC/laptop, will apply adjustments
– often both in the time domain and frequency
domain – to the output signal.

Graphically speaking

While the various systems you might encounter
have the same end goal, they all di er. For example,
Dirac Live, as found on hardware from brands
including NAD and Arcam, is available in di erent
flavours, the basic system only covering the key
bass/mid frequencies up to 500Hz. Meanwhile,
Lyngdorf's RoomPerfect platform, seen on
its MP-60 processor (HCC #311), records
measurements across the three-dimensional room
space, not just around the seating area, as it aims
to get a full 'acoustical picture'. Some platforms
provide detailed graphs of target curves and
measured frequency responses, those on budget/
mid-priced AVRs leave you in the dark.

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022



BECOME A
PERLISTENER

[ PER-LISTEN-ER ]
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by sharing a perceptual listening moment)

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#HiFiShowLive

From the latest Perlisteners:
“The sound here is a dizzying mix of detail, power, scale, and
immersion…For those preparing to invest in a high-end, high-
performance array, these simply have to be auditioned.”

S5m-based 7.1 system, Home Cinema Choice, June 2022

“If you have the space, the means, and the wherewithal, let me
introduce you to your new home theatre system. You will not be
sorry, and I will so, so envy you!”

S7t-based 5.2 system, hometheaterhifi.com

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on the planet, the D215s has to be my first suggestion.”

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detailed, and, when necessary, concussive bass in my home theatre,
ever… I’d say that Perlisten has lightning in a bottle here.”

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22

Team HCC, fresh from a lottery win, goes shopping for the world's most exotic, most
outrageous and most covetable items of home entertainment hardware

Maunakea

Price: From £300,000
A collaboration between luxury TV maker C Seed
and immersive audio specialist L-Acoustics
Creations, the Maunakea (named after a volcano
in Hawaii, apparently) is intended to cover all your
AV bases in just one (pricey) go.

It's a two-part system. The first is L-Acoustics
Creations' Island Prestige, which the brand bills
as a 'sumptuous sonic lounge'. A mix of designer
furniture and high-end audio, here this provides an
18.1-channel sound experience (we've actually heard
a 22.2 iteration in action, and it was fabulous). You sit
in plush circular seating, with speakers squirrelled
into the unit all around you.

So far, so cool, but the Maunakea goes further
by adding C Seed's M1 TV to the mix. The kind of
gizmo Tony Stark would own, this monstrous 165in,
4K resolution Micro LED screen has a unique party
trick – it folds into five sections and disappears into
the floor when not in use.
'Have you got anything else?' C Seed sells the M1
TV in 137in and 103in flavours. So get one of those for
your kitchen/diner.

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

TECH FOCUS 23

Wilson Audio WAMM
Master Chronosonic

Price: £700,000 per pair Wiring to the speakers' individual drivers,
The costliest and most advanced loudspeaker to on rotary tensioners, is visible at the rear
come out of Utah-based Wilson Audio, the WAMM
Master Chronosonic sells for around ten times
the price of a Range Rover, and is almost as big.
Its 2.1m-high cabinet will come close to tickling the
ceiling in some rooms, and the fact it’s nearly 1m
deep, and weighs over 400kg, will also test your
interior design skills.

However, owners of big rooms and big wallets
will be rewarded by a loudspeaker that, from our
experience, sounds phenomenal. A distillation
of company founder David Wilson's acoustical
engineering knowledge, the Chronosonic (launched
in 2017 and limited to just 70 pairs) builds nine drivers
into a frame hewn from 'aerospace-grade'
aluminium and the company's own bespoke
composite materials. Drivers include 10in and 12in
woofers in the lower cabinet, plus the curved array
of four mid-range units and a single tweeter, each
in separate adjustable enclosures for precise time
domain fine-tuning, a technique pioneered by the
brand in the original WAMM model of the late 1970s.

'Have you got anything else?' Of course. Wilson
Audio's loudspeaker lineup ranges from the
Chronosonics down to the £12,000 p/p TuneTot
bookshelf models, hitting various price points and
designs along the way.

Ascendo SMSG50

Price: £68,000
There are plenty of big subwoofers to blow a huge
chunk of money on, but we can't think of any bigger
than Ascendo's mad-looking SMSG50. Yours for
what is perhaps an entirely reasonable £68,000,
this 'infrasonic' bass behemoth stands around
6ft tall, and features a custom-made (obviously)
50in woofer. Lurking inside its voluminous, heavily
braced cabinet is a 6,000W-rated power plant,
coupled to Ascendo's own DSP platform for room
correction, EQ, etc.

The SMSG50 opts for a sealed, rather than
ported enclosure, yet still manages to claim a
low-frequency extension down to 5Hz – gulp
– at an ear-worrying 105dB (and 125dB at 20Hz).
Needless to say, it's intended for the largest of home
theatres, not your attic gaming den.

Ascendo says the SMSG50 is 'hands down the
most powerful cinema subwoofer in the world' and
'challenges the known limits' of bass reproduction.
We say it looks eerily similar to Doc Brown's guitar
amplifier in Back To The Future, and we'd love to
hear one in action.

'Have you got anything else?' Well, if 50in is
simply too big for your room, Ascendo sells the
minuscule-by-comparison SMSG24, a 24in
subwoofer that's a snip at £12,650.

AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

24 OBJECTS OF DESIRE

Brilliant buys

Shopping on a tighter
budget? Check these out

Monitor Audio Bronze Make no mistake, this thing is huge...

The Brit company's most recent D’Agostino Relentless While easy to use, actually getting the thing into
update of its long-running Mono Amplifier your listening room might be hard, thanks to a weight
a ordable Bronze series added of 258kg – 35kg of which is the toroidal transformer
Dolby Atmos upfirers, resulting in Price: £125,000 alone. And don't forget you'll most likely want a pair,
a floorstanding 5.1.2 system priced The Relentless Mono is another slice of American so perhaps consider hiring a forklift.
£1,800. Sound performance and high-end, and the most over-engineered product to
styling are bang on the money yet come from Dan D'Agostino (ex-founder of Krell, Anyway, once installed you should brace yourself
– this is a great-value package. now head of the company that bears his name). for a sound performance like no other. Reviewed
A monoblock amplifier promising a power output exclusively by the musos on our sister magazine
Amazon Fire TV Stick of 1,500W/8ohm, it's destined for use with the most Hi-Fi News, the verdict was that the Relentless Mono
4K Max hungry of loudspeakers. Amplifier 'represents a crushing force deployed
with exquisite delicacy', and measured as the most
We've lost count how many times Build quality is outrageous, the amp featuring a powerful amp that had ever hit the test bench. We'll
the answer to an AV question has 52cm-wide, 86cm-deep chassis comprised of milled take three for the L/C/R channels in a cost-no-object
been 'get a Fire TV Stick'. Amazon's copper and aluminium. The front panel is dominated movie room.
HDMI streamer handles Dolby by the green-lit meter that denotes many D'Agostino
Atmos (incl. music), 4K, Dolby products, while the back is comically uncluttered, 'Have you got anything else?' Below the flagship
Vision and HDR10+, and serves up o ering just a balanced XLR input and gold-plated Relentless line are D'Agostino's Momentum
a class-leading app library. All for speaker posts. separates, including the £29,500 S350 stereo amp
a wallet-friendly £55. that's more likely to actually fit through your door.

Denon AVR-X1700H Barco Thor+ deployment in a home cinema PJ of Barco's pro-
grade 6P-RGB laser engine, a triple-part light source
This budget-priced (£550) Price: £400,000 that devours the REC.2020 colour space spec, while
seven-channel AV receiver has Projector brand Barco operates in both consumer three 1.38in DLP digital mirror devices (DMDs)
a secret – its HDMI talents are and professional markets and has an extensive
currently more advanced than range of DCI-compliant 4K HDR models deliver a 4,096 x 2,160 resolution image.
Denon's higher-end units. Three where brightness output goes as Various lens options cater
HDMI 2.1 inputs give peace of mind high as 52,000 Lumens. to largescale theatres,
to gamers, HEOS integration takes Its Thor+ isn't quite as with one even o ering
care of music streaming needs, punchy (o ering a mere a gigantic 3.35:1 throw.
and the X1700H's energetic 32,000 Lumens), but
multichannel performance is is the top dog in its 'Have you got
a movie-lover's treat. residential range, anything else?' If this
meaning your custom projector named after
Panasonic DP-UB450 installer might be able the god of Thunder is too
to dig one up. scary, check out the more
How much does Panasonic ask for manageable (and more
this mid-tier 4K Blu-ray spinner that Inside the 1.5m-long a ordable) Barco Balder,
plays both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ cabinet is the first aka Thor's baby brother.
formats? Just £180. Okay, the deck
might falter in the style department,
and is stripped of Wi-Fi and
streaming apps, but that's still
a fine price to pay to cover every
UHD disc eventuality.

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

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26 OBJECTS OF DESIRE

AudioQuest Dragon dCS Vivaldi One Apex

Price: From £6,700 Price: £76,000
Once you move beyond an AV receiver or integrated amp, you're Oddly, the most you could spend on a 4K Blu-ray player these days is
going to have to fork out for some interconnects to hook up a about £4,000 (a customised Oppo UDP-205, if you can find one), but
separate amp and processor. more pennies can be dropped on playback of CDs and SACDs. And the
You could plump for an RCA or Vivaldi One Apex, from Cambridge-based company dCS, also doubles
XLR cable for a few quid – or as an ultra-premium DAC.
you could shell out upwards of
£6,700 for AudioQuest's Dragon. Announced this year for a limited production of 50 units (sadly
Available in both terminations not in the gold version of the previous generation, pictured), this
(with the XLR variant hitting heavyweight disc-spinner sports an 'aerospace-grade’ (again)
£36,000 for a single 6m wire aluminium chassis and rocks an Esoteric VRDS Neo MK3 CD/SACD
– better keep those runs optical disc mechanism, described as the 'ultimate transport' by its
short...), the Dragon boasts Japanese maker. dCS then adds its own processing and clocking
a fistful of bespoke cable systems, plus the piece de resistance in the shape of a new 'Apex'
technologies, and claims to be iteration of its well-established Ring DAC technology. This allows for
'possibly the best' interconnect hi-res file playback over USB and AES/EBU, for when you've tired of
your Dark Side of the Moon SACD.

'Have you got anything else?' Yes, but dCS doesn't really do 'cheap'
– its base-level disc player is the £21,500 Rossini CD/SACD transport.

in the world. And you know what? The accessories brand might
have a point. We've auditioned the Dragon in both RCA and XLR
guise, and it had us scrambling for our thesaurus before settling
on transparent, natural and unblemished. The old adage remains,

of course – cables won't make
your system hardware better
than it is – but this mythical
beast of an interconnect will
make it sound its best.

'Have you got anything else?'
AudioQuest is nothing if not
thorough, selling 18 di erent
interconnect lines across three
series. The Tower cable (RCA,
3.5mm) from its Bridge series
starts at £28 for 0.6m.

SME Model 60

Price: From £49,950
When you get to a certain level of vinyl addiction the only thing that
can satisfy is a deck that looks like something out of a sci-fi movie.
Step forward the Model 60 from UK maker SME.

Selling in standard brushed metal finishes for £49,950, Machined
Honeycomb in black, blue (pictured) or silver for £54,950, and a
machine-polished aluminium Diamond iteration (£59,950), this
deck both celebrates SME's 60 years in the audio business, and acts
as a successor to its previous range-topper, the Model 30.

Headlining a high-spec feature list are an upgraded polymer resin
tonearm, acoustically treated chassis, sub chassis and machined alloy
platter, and microprocessor-driven speed control via an outboard
box with AC synchronous motor. And if that all sounds like vinylista
gobblededook, just know that it makes your records sound great.
You will need to also budget for a cartridge, however.

'Have you got anything else?' SME's turntable range spans seven
models, beginning with the entry-level (although still £6,000) Model 6.
This will probably fit the bill, but doesn't look anywhere near as cool ■

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

THE PINNACLE OF See us at
HOME AUDIO
THE
The Klipsch Reference Premiere line of loudspeakers represents the pinnacle of home audio. Over 70 years of
acoustic research and the latest technologies combine to deliver a range of class-leading speakers tuned to SHOW
work for both stereo Hi-Fi and home cinema systems. Prepare yourself for the ultimate home audio experience.
10-11th September
#HiFiShowLive

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28

A JOURNEY

OF DISCOVERY
THE UK BLU-RAY
LABELS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Whether you're on the hunt for vintage TV, foreign language
cinema, cult genre titles or the best of British film, there's a
homegrown Blu-ray label ready to serve, discovers Anton van Beek

101 Films Anime Ltd.

88 Films This UK indie has gone from With Blu-ray releases spanning
strength-to-strength in recent everything from the first-ever
Launched in 2012, 88 Films is your go-to if your cinema diet is years, bolstering its lineup with feature-length Japanese
heavy on martial arts movies and cult horror. The label currently acquisitions from the former animation – 1940's Momotaro:
has four imprints: 88 Asia, 88 Vault, Slasher Classics and The Metrodome and Palisades Tartan Sacred Sailors – to blockbuster
Italian Collection, meaning its titles range from hard-boiled Italian libraries, and signing a deal with smash Belle (2021), Glasgow-
crime flick The Tough Ones through the Anaconda franchise to the cult movie-focused American based distributor Anime Ltd. is
some of the best from Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung et al. Releases Genre Film Group. Meanwhile, making good on its commitment
typically feature new 2K or 4K restorations, newly commissioned the introduction of its Black to 'breathing new life into much-
extras and gorgeous sleeve art. The label's first 4K Blu-ray releases Label Blu-ray imprint has targeted loved classics and introducing the
more serious collectors with cutting edge of what Japanese
– Dragons Forever and Drive (1997) – are set for August. desirable feature-packed limited animation has to o er.' As well
editions of Paul Verhoeven's Black as an extensive slate of Blu-rays,
Disc of delight: Although a 4K upgrade is inbound, Book, Lucasfilm's Howard the the label has also started
88 Films' previous Blu-ray treatment of martial arts Duck, and others – although an releasing titles on 4K BD, albeit
classic Dragons Forever is a doozy, with three cuts of occasional willingness to settle so far as part of rather pricey
the film, plus myriad bonuses, spread over two discs. for lower-quality source materials Deluxe Editions.
(see its recent Blu-ray debut for
Johnny Mnemonic) has come in Disc of delight:
for justifiable criticism. The legendary
anime series
Disc of delight: Neon Genesis
Spookies (1986) Evangelion, plus
might be the Death(True)2
something of
a dud as a horror and End of
Evangelion theatrical releases,
film, but the look lush on this five-disc Blu-ray
deluxe package 101 set from 2021. Collector's and
Films put together for its 2021 BD Ultimate editions, released at the
(Black Label #019) is nothing less same time, add books, merch and
than phenomenal. bonus 'classic dub' versions.

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

PLAYBACK EXTRA 29

Anti-Worlds BBC Studios

Proof that there are still Arrow Video The Beeb has never shown the
untapped niches for new film same level of commitment
distributors to explore, Anti- Three-time winner of HCC's 'Label of the Year' and a favourite with to Blu-ray that it has to DVD,
Worlds has spent the past four BD buyers around the world, Arrow Video has grown beyond its with many popular series still
years introducing Blu-ray buyers horror roots, with recent boxsets celebrating arthouse directors remaining stuck on the standard-
to a curated range of unique, Eric Rohmer and Rainer Werner Fassbinder, and mainstream hits def format (presumably in the
provocative and challenging films like RoboCop and Wild Things. It continues to win praise for its belief that anybody who wants
from around the world, including in-house restorations, and made a welcome leap to 4K BD in 2020, to watch them in HD will rely on
Isabella Eklöf's controversial iPlayer or BritBox). That said, it
Holiday (2018), Joel Potrykus' although it has recently scaled back its UHD release hasn't given up completely on BD,
mind-bending Relaxer (2018) and schedule while it addresses some QC niggles. with big-budget shows such as
Corneliu Porumboiu's hilarious Peaky Blinders and Doctor Who
documentary Infinite Football Disc of delight: With meticulous restorations and being given a chance to shine.
(2018). Befitting the talent extensive bonuses, Hellraiser: The Scarlet Box has Speaking of the Time Lord, BBC
behind the label (including such sights to show you... Studios is continuing to produce
Indicator co-founder Sam Dunn) new animated reconstructions of
each Blu-ray release is loaded incomplete '60s serials for release
with bonuses. on hi-def disc.

Disc of delight: Let Disc of delight:
it all hang out with The BBC has shown
the award-winning an interest in 4K
tragicomic treat Blu-ray for its
Patrick (2019), prestigious natural
following a
handyman's hunt history shows.
for his missing hammer at The fantastic Blue
a Belgian nudist camp. Planet II is our pick of
a demo-worthy collection.

BFI The Criterion Collection

Founded in 1933, the British Film Institute's mission to 'educate The US label that debuted the first ever audio commentary with
and deepen public appreciation and understanding of film and the its 1984 Laserdisc release of King Kong (1933), The Criterion
moving image' extends to a home entertainment division. This has Collection belatedly entered the UK market in 2016. Since then
consistently delivered beautifully restored Blu-rays (and now 4K it has released a trio of Blu-rays on these shores every month,
Blu-rays) that honour the best in British and world cinema, mixing brand-new films that arrive day-and-date with the US
frequently accompanied by unique contextualising vintage shorts (including Martin Scorsese's The Irishman), and titles previously
and other material drawn from the BFI National Archive. Its made available on the other side of the pond. However, while The
Flipside imprint applies a similar level of care and attention Criterion Collection started releasing select titles on 4K Blu-ray in

to exploring the 'untold history of British film'. the US last November, it has yet to adopt the format
over here. What gives?
Disc of delight: Released in 2016, the comprehensive
Dissent & Disruption: Alan Clarke at the BBC (1969- Disc of delight: As detailed in its accompanying
1989) remains the benchmark other Blu-ray boxsets extras, the 4K restoration of Edgar G Ulmer's 1945
aspire to, but very few actually meet. film noir Detour was an almost impossible task.

AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

30 UK BLU-RAY LABELS

Curzon Dazzler Media Dogwoof
Artificial Eye
From 2014 Dazzler has carved a niche as one of the UK's leading After making a splash with its
The days of this major player distributors of TV shows on BD, tackling everything from the BBC's 2013 release of the acclaimed
in the UK art house and world Father Brown to Channel 4's It's a Sin, Sky's A Discovery of Witches nature flick Blackfish, this
cinema scene releasing up to and US favourites The Good Place and The Expanse. At the same specialist in documentary
30 films on disc in a year are time it's improved its movie lineup, graduating from DTV actioners film distribution hasn't looked
long gone, with its focus now to licensing brand-new releases from Universal, including Dear back. Dogwoof has brought
mainly split between the Curzon UK buyers a run of superior
cinema chain and its Curzon Evan Hansen and The Card Counter – the first of documentaries covering every
Home Cinema VOD platform. which was also the label's debut Ultra HD disc. conceivable subject, from mass
However, despite having released killings (2012's The Act of Killing)
just one Blu-ray so far this year Disc of delight: It would be a crime not to own Gareth to race and celebrity (2016's OJ:
– 2021's Paris, 13th District – the 'The Raid' Evans' action-packed gang drama Gangs Made in America), rock climbing
previous couple saw it debut BD of London: Season One on Blu-ray. (2018's Free Solo), and one of
boxsets devoted to the films of cinema's greatest composers
Merchant Ivory, Atom Egoyan, (2021's Ennio). The distributor
Roy Andersson and Bong has even taken one small step
Joon-Ho. And on the subject on 4K Blu-ray…
of that last filmmaker…
Disc of delight: Compiled from
Disc of delight: Curzon Artificial archival 65mm footage of the first
Eye has issued one manned mission to the moon, this
4K Blu-ray to date,
but it's a belter: 4K release of the
Bong Joon-Ho's 2019 doc Apollo 11
Oscar-winning is simply out of
black comedy this world – and a
Parasite. nice improvement
on Universal's US

1080p Blu-ray.

Eureka martial arts masterpieces. This September Fabulous Films
Eureka will add Ultra HD Blu-ray to its repertoire,
Home to a range of feature films spanning the kicking o with a boxset of Jackie Chan's For years this UK label has been
entire history of cinema, from D.W. Griffiths' legendary Police Story Trilogy. inextricably linked with Universal
pioneering silent epic The Birth of a Nation (1915) Pictures, whether licensing films
to Claude Lanzmann's documentary Shoah: Four Discs of delight: Okay, we've plumped for a and TV series from the studio for
Sisters (2017), Eureka's celebrated 'Master of Masters of Cinema double bill here for Western a Blu-ray debut, or re-releasing
Cinema' Blu-ray range has long been a favourite fans. Straight Shooting & Hell Bent: Two Films by titles that the Hollywood major
for devoted cinephiles. Meanwhile, the distributor John Ford features astonishing restorations of had put out on the format years
continues to delight fans with feature-packed two of the director's earliest movies (released earlier. Its content library is
in 1917 and 1918 respectively), while the Gary packed with shows that will
editions of more Cooper/Grace Kelly horse opera High Noon appeal to a certain demographic
mainstream genre (1952) is a – revisionist – classic of the genre, – The A-Team, Air-Wolf, Knight
fare, such as 1983 benefitting here from a gorgeous 4K restoration Rider and Miami Vice are all ready
Stephen King horror and an almost ridiculous amount of high-quality to binge in their entirety in hi-def,
Cujo and a growing bonus features. the latter on a monstrous 25-disc
o ering of classic set. The film library is as eclectic
as it gets, with the Smokey
and The Bandit trilogy rubbing
shoulders with Steve McQueen's
The Blob, Abel Ferrara's Bad
Lieutenant and John Carpenter's
budget sci-fi Dark Star.

Disc of delight: Without
Fabulous Films we wouldn't have

the hilarious Parks
and Recreation:
The Complete
Series on UK
Blu-ray. For that
alone we'll always
be thankful.

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

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32 UK BLU-RAY LABELS

Final Cut Indicator Lightbulb
Entertainment
With everything from Hammer's Arriving in 2016, Indicator has become one of the world's most
The Curse of the Werewolf (1961) respected Blu-ray labels. It's not hard to see why. From well- Specialising in 'elevated-genre
to Stallone's Stop! or My Mom known Hollywood features to gems rescued from obscurity, the features', this new distributor has
Will Shoot (1992), plus boxsets attention the company puts into its releases is second-to-none, just a handful of releases under its
for the Airport (1970-1979) resulting in must-own special editions and some of the best belt, but has caught our eye with
and Death Wish (1974-1994) boxsets on the market (including its ongoing Hammer and its choice of films and handsome
franchises, Final Cut disc packages. Launched last year
Entertainment's BD range has Columbia Noir collections). It's also teased that its with the enthralling psychological
something for every cinematic first UHD title will appear before the end of the year. chiller Come True and the stylish
taste. While the quality of its sci-fi anthology Undergods (both
transfers can be rather hit-or- Disc of delight: Indicator's Five Tall Tales… collects 2020), Lightbulb has carried on
miss, on occasion it has put in classic Westerns made by Budd Boetticher and in much the same vein with the
welcome extra e ort, including Randolph Scott in a peerless Blu-ray boxset. provocative triple-header of 2021
creating exclusive extras for its flicks Slumber Party Massacre,
re-release of Clint Eastwood's Broadcast Signal Intrusion and
Play Misty for Me (1971) when We're All Going to the World's Fair.
Universal's original Blu-ray was We can't wait to see what else it
disappointingly barebones. has up its sleeves.

Disc of delight: One of the best Disc of delight: Inventive,
of Amicus' portmanteau fright subversive slasher
remake Slumber
flicks, Tales from Party Massacre
the Crypt (1972) brings the
is bolstered on maligned
Blu-ray by sub-genre bang
a brilliant up to date.
retrospective

documentary.

Network Nucleus Films

MUBI For more than two decades The brainchild of former
Network has been pillaging the Redemption Films production
It's not often a streaming platform moves into releasing physical vaults of various TV companies to manager Marc Morris and British
media, but that's precisely what MUBI did in 2019. While still best bring restorations of classic series horror director Jake West (Evil
known as a curated SVOD service available in over 190 countries, like The Sweeney, Monty Python's Aliens, The ABCs of Death),
its status as a film distributor means it has brought a steady Flying Circus and several Gerry Nucleus Films both creates
stream of new arthouse hits from around the world – including Anderson 'Supermarionation' documentaries and featurettes
Bacurau (2019), Petite Maman (2021) and Annette (2021) – to shows to disc. At the same time, for other software labels to use as
UK Blu-ray. Perhaps more excitingly, MUBI has announced an an agreement with Studiocanal bonus features on their releases,
Ultra HD Blu-ray release this August for Paul Verhoeven's latest has allowed it to release a host and distributes movies on disc
of vintage features on BD from itself. Unsurprisingly given the
(and controversial) flick, Benedetta (2021). studios including EMI, London pedigree of its two founders, the
Films and British Lion, all company specialises in European
Disc of delight: Although a little short of extras, collected under its British Film horror and cult cinema, bringing
MUBI's Blu-ray platter for director Luca Guadagnino's banner. Network also announced definitive BD editions of the likes
2018 Suspiria remake is a nightmarish feast for the last year that it had purchased of 1968 giallo classic Death Lays
eyes and ears. the Hammer Films library, and an Egg (1968), Jess Franco's
is promising brand-new hi-def Erotic Rites of Frankenstein (1972),
restorations of many of its and Dario Piana's Too Beautiful
classic chillers. to Die (1988).

Disc of delight: Disc of delight: Fans of vintage
Numerous extra British horror can sink their teeth
features and into Nucleus Films' Blu-ray
captivating
restorations make restoration of
The Prisoner: Blood of the
The Complete Series boxset a Vampire. Extras
crown jewel in Network's Blu-ray include a look at
lineup. Altogether now: 'I am not the original BBFC
a number. I am a free man!' notes for this

1958 shocker.

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

PLAYBACK EXTRA 33

Picturehouse Screenbound Second Run

'Since 2010, we've been releasing Although its output has slowed Its film releases come from all over, including the US and Thailand,
outstanding films from around a little over the last few years, but Second Run is best known for Eastern European cinema.
the world which connect to a Screenbound Pictures continues The BD catalogue is a treasure-trove of Hungarian, Polish and
wide and under-served audience' to treat cult movie fans with Czech New Wave movies, with highlights including Otokar Vávra's
states the website for this its eclectic range of Blu-ray Witchhammer (1969) and Juraj Herz's Beauty and the Beast (1978).
award-winning distributor/ releases. From Roman Polanski's In each case the films are presented in the best possible condition
cinema chain – and since 2019 1965 masterpiece Repulsion
Picturehouse has also issued to kinky 1984 French action- – usually with new restorations and subtitles – and
Blu-rays for critically-acclaimed comedy Gwendoline, by way accompanied by fascinating extras.
modern masterpieces including of bleak adult 'toon The Plague
Nadine Labaki's Capernaum Dogs (1982), Charlton Heston- Disc of delight: A mix of live-action and animation,
(2018), Alejandro Landes' Monos starring Shakespeare adaptation The Fabulous Baron Munchausen (1961) is one of
(2019), and Joanna Hogg's The Julius Caesar (1970) and Joan the most wildly imaginative films ever crafted.
Souvenir Part II (2021). While the Collins sexploitation double-bill
discs frequently look and sound The Stud & The Bitch (1978-79),
excellent, bonus content often it's almost impossible to guess
feels a little overlooked. what the label will serve up next.

Disc of delight: Justin Kerzel's Disc of delight: There are major
stylish, gritty Aussie Western True Hollywood movie stars that
haven't received the sort of
History of the Kelly
Gang (2019) attention that
looks so bonza Screenbound
on Blu-ray you lavished on 1970s
might not mind British adult
the complete actress Mary

lack of bonus Millington in its
material. 2020 boxset.

Shameless Signal One

Second Sight Thanks to its bright yellow cases, Established in 2015, Signal
Shameless is one of the most One trawled Hollywood studio
Founded in 1994, this specialist in classic and cult cinema has recognisable Blu-ray labels on the archives to give movies like
been delivering fantastic Blu-ray releases ever since its 'Seriously shelves – even if what's inside disaster flick On the Beach (1959),
Ultimate Edition' of Tobe Hooper's The Texas Chain Saw Massacre those cases doesn't always live cop thriller The Seven-Ups (1973),
in 2008. Second Sight's fanbase has only grown in recent years up to expectations. There's no bonkers sci-fi Cherry 2000 (1987)
thanks to feature-packed Limited Edition Blu-rays for Walkabout doubting the strength of its and even the infamous Bruce
(1971), In Bruges (2008) and Censor (2021), as well as hugely lineup of Italian horror classics Willis flop Hudson Hawk (1991)
impressive Ultra HD restorations of Dawn of the Dead (1978), – including Dario Argento's Four UK Blu-ray debuts. There then
Drive (2011) and The Witch (2015). Flies on Grey Velvet (1971), followed a period of financial
Ruggero Deodato's Cannibal woes that saw output slow and
Disc of delight: Boasting three cuts of the film, three Holocaust (1980) and Lucio stop altogether before, Signal
soundtrack CDs and numerous extras, Second Fulci's The Beyond (1981) – but One became part of Patriot Films
Sight's Dawn of the Dead: Limited Edition 4K set is technical issues with the source in 2020. It soon picked up where
perhaps the most comprehensive package ever materials and/or Blu-ray encodes it left o with BD releases of
assembled for a single movie. have sometimes taken the shine Nightmare Alley (1947), Let's
o what would otherwise be Make Love (1960) and other titles
must-own discs. first announced years earlier.

Disc of delight: Disc of delight:
A new 4K master Produced by
results in a Roger Corman,
suitably lurid written by Jack
encode – joined Nicholson and

by some lengthy starring Peter
filmmaker and Fonda, the
critic interviews – on this second 1967 counterculture cult classic
UK Blu-ray release for Michele The Trip arrived on Blu-ray in
Soavi's 1986 theatrical splatter 2016 with a suitably psychedelic
flick Stagefright. And the sleeve remaster and a roster of 'dope'
art is awesome. bonus goodies ■

AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

34 DREAM THEATRE/WWW.BESPOKEHOMECINEMAS .CO.UK

Dinner and
a movie?

Mark Craven marvels at a relatively compact space – and former
dining room – given a deluxe home cinema makeover

A

KIT CHECKLIST KALEIDESCAPE : Strato 6TB movie server
ARCAM : AVR30 AV receiver with Dirac Live
SONY : VPL-VW890ES 4K laser projector room correction
CINEMA BUILD SYSTEMS: 3m-wide 2.35:1 ART: SR4 four-channel power amplifier
acoustic projector screen CONTROL4: EA1 processor; SR260 remote;
ARTCOUSTIC: 3 x SL 8-4 (L/C/R) 4 x SL SAPD240 configurable keypad
Diablo on-wall speakers (surrounds); FRONT ROW: 4 x Serenity cinema recliners
4 x SL Architect 2-1 ceiling speakers SILENT GLISS: Blinds
(Atmos); 2 x SUB3 dual 10in subwoofers
with rack amplification

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

INSTALL 35

A. Style on the sidelines

Inlaid LED lighting on the side and rear walls
adds a visual finishing touch while also hiding
surround speakers

B. CinemaScope screen

The 3m wide, 2.35:1 ratio screen, sourced from
Cinema Build Systems, was fitted flush into the
front wall. A concealed cupboard below houses
the AV hardware

B

A FORMER DINING room measuring 4.2m x GAsoortuincnogdui,nsltatiotcetSrhLjeo8irn-o4eodsmpb'esyantkweeworsdftruooantlat1k0weianclalsaurerbeowtfohLor/efCee/rRs ihEnea-lwrplyaelidlnsatuchrceruobruauntielddlsy, apnodsiatiloitntltehleacsienrelmigah'tsinfgouhras
4.3m was the space given to install company
Bespoke Home Cinemas with the brief to AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE
transform it into a movie den with projector
screen visuals and immersive sonics. A full
makeover was undertaken, with a front ba e
wall constructed to house LCR speakers and
dual subwoofers, and acoustic treatments on
all sides hidden by stretched fabrics.

Audio comes from a 7.2.4 speaker system
using Arcam and Artcoustic hardware,
with movie and TV content provided by
Kaleidescape, Sky and 4K Blu-ray sources.
And with the owner describing video quality as
'paramount', a high-spec Sony VPL-VW890ES
projector was called into action ■

36 INSTALL

D

D. Premium pictures E

Mounted beneath the LED-lit ceiling co er,
which incorporates Atmos speakers, is Sony's
laser-based, native 4K VPL-VW890ES projector

E. The brains of the operation

An Arcam AVR30 receiver handles Dolby Atmos/
DTS:X processing, HDMI switching and room
correction, and provides grunt to seven of the
system's speakers – the four height channels
are driven by an additional power amp

F. Media centre F

Sources include Sky Q, Sony 4K BD spinner and
Kaleidescape movie server

G. Pop some corn

A small bar and snacks area was added in one
corner of the room, using an existing vertical RSJ
(that couldn't be moved) to separate it from the
rest of the space

G

Lmtihgoehdsteiidrnnegaawenosduthrledeatbriecwc–oahmlleseraeartekheueypipnaasnerdttroLufEntDnhirenurgnosotmha'st span

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022



THE VERY BEST CONSUMER TECHNOLOGY...

PUZZLE SOLVED!

AUGUST 15TH 2022

thAepw4vr0aoerYfdrdoyEuirncAbtgeRssSt

EISA AWARDS 2022-23
Celebrating the year’s best products

The Expert Imaging and Sound Association is the community of 60 technology magazines, websites and social media
commentators from 29 countries, specialising in hi-fi, home theatre, photo and video, in-car and mobile electronics.

Every year the EISA jury of experts rewards the best products in each class with a coveted EISA Award.

The 2022-23 EISA Awards will be announced on August 15th 2022

TESTED BY THE EXPERTS ■ WWW.EISA.EU

WWW.HOMECINEMACHOICE.COM 39

Hardware ➜ PHILIPS 55in 'EX panel' OLED with Ambilight and multi-HDR support

REL Second-gen 'Predator' subwoofer TRINNOV High-end 16-channel amplifier TCL 65in 4K Mini
LED TV DEVIALET Dione single-box soundbar system EPSON Laser-based 4K HDR LCD projector
CABASSE Pearl Keshi 2.1 smart speakers LOEWE Klang soundbar and subwoofer combi & MORE!

Where there's a wall...

The Aura ultra-short-throw
projector from Xgimi
combines Harman Kardon
sound, Android smarts and
4K HDR images with a
living room-friendly design.
See p52 for our verdict

All prices quoted are approximate and may have changed RATINGS KEY…

Outstanding
Above average
Acceptable
Disappointing
Dire

AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

40 PHILIPS 55OLED807/£1,799

John Archer discovers that sometimes your EX
really can be your best friend

Philips' OLED
panel beater

EMERGENCY!

Action blockbuster
Ambulance races
onto 4K Blu-ray, p86

1

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

REVIEWS 41

As the eagerly awaited successor to the multi award-winning AV INFO
Philips OLED806 series (see HCC #323), the new OLED807
arrives burdened with the heavy weight of expectation. PRODUCT:
Can the manufacturer effectively evolve its OLED technology 55in 4K OLED TV
yet again? The answer to that, it turns out, is yes – this range using an 'EX' panel
usurps its illustrious predecessor in at least three major ways. POSITION:
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves... The OLED807
will be Philips'
Let’s begin where anyone’s relationship with a new telly Two other notable feature additions for the 55OLED807 mid-range OLED
starts: the design. Our set, the 55in 55OLED807, looks quite are support for IMAX Enhanced content, and a gaming ‘bar’ series for 2022
different to last year's model. For starters, it swaps out the that gives you at-a-glance details on the signals the TV is PEERS:
blade-style feet for a centrally mounted, polished chrome receiving, and quick access to game-related settings. LG OLED55C2;
't-bar’ desktop stand, which is attractive and raises the Sony XR-55A80K;
TV enough to potentially tuck a soundbar underneath. While I'm on the subject of gaming, the TV carries two Panasonic
The finish is somewhat reflective though (not necessarily 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 ports, with support for de jour video tricks TX-55LZ1000
ideal in a movie room) and very susceptible to fingerprints. such as 4K at 120Hz, variable refresh rates and auto low
The mammoth 77in version of the OLED807 keeps the feet latency mode switching. Note that there are separate HDMI 1. 65in, 55in and 48in
– for obvious reasons – while 48in and 65in iterations also game modes: Optimal and Optimal (Auto Game). You'll iterations get a 't-bar'
get the 't-bar' pedestal. need to select the latter to enjoy VRR, and at the cost of a stand, while the
little image quality. larger 77in OLED807
The set's bezel is significantly narrower than that of is supported by 'feet'
the OLED806, which itself was pretty slinky. This is made There’s support for both AMD FreeSync Premium and 2. Philips' TV uses the
possible by Philips switching to one of the latest EX type Nvidia G-Sync VRR formats, and input lag on 1080p/60Hz new, brighter OLED
of OLED panels. The frame is so skinny, in fact, that it plays signals measured 15.1ms in my tests. Not the absolute EX panel
beautifully with Philips’ Ambilight system, making the lowest in town, but low enough to likely not significantly 3. Remote includes
coloured illumination that comes from all four sides feel contribute to a poor gaming performance. large navigation keys
even more connected with the images you’re watching. and one-button
The 55OLED807 continues Philips’ support for built-in access to Prime
The TV gets all the usual Ambilight features, including Dolby Atmos sound; anti-burn in technology that looks for Video, Netflix, etc
the ability to track the colours of the picture on the screen; and gently dims bright static image elements in isolation
connectivity with a Philips Hue lighting system; and a new from the rest of the picture; and all the main HDR formats, 3
Aurora mode that ties Ambilight to a library of still and including HDR10+ and Dolby Vision.
moving images that you can call up as ‘screensavers’ when
you’re not watching the TV in earnest. Smarts come courtesy of Android TV 11, rather than the
newer Google TV. The Android system is much improved
Start your engines from its grim origins, and Philips has a proud tradition of
making it run more stably than usual, which continues here.
As well as aiding the 55OLED807’s design, Philips’ move Supported apps include Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV+,
Disney+, Google Play Movies and TV, and Freeview Play.
to an EX OLED panel introduces a brightness boost of as
Brighter than ever
much as 30 per cent over ‘regular’ OLED screens, and as
Comparing the 55OLED807 side by side with an OLED806,
much as 10 per cent even over previous high-brightness the main improvement for the newer model is a noticeable
uptick in brightness. This makes its presence felt both in
panels. And my experience suggests the potential of this fullscreen bright HDR sources and the intensity of the

new panel brightness will be unlocked by the latest (sixth) brightest HDR
highlights – all of
generation of Philips' redoubtable P5 AI picture processing which helps HDR
material look more
engine, which feeds pictures through a huge, carefully impactful and realistic.

ordered series of Seemingly
bolstered by Philips'
processing elements. 2 new Advanced HDR
tone mapping system,
This new silicon small bright highlights
look arguably more
introduces a few intense (without
clipping) than I’ve
tweaks and additions. seen from any OLED
TV to date – including
In particular, there’s LG’s EX panel-toting
G2 range. For instance,
a suite of features the stars standing out
against the darkness
targeted at optimising of space during the
opening shots of Ridley
pictures for changing

ambient light

conditions. These

include dedicated

Dark Detail

Optimization and

Colour Optimization

settings, alongside an

Eye Care option that

essentially substantially

reduces brightness in

dark rooms.

AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

42 REVIEWS

4

Scott's Alien (4K Blu-ray) glow so bright it almost feels like supposed to be. Yet just as importantly, the subtle
someone’s shining a laser through the screen. increases in shadow detail that ultimately define his form
are all rendered superbly, with excellent gradation
Since the 55OLED807 is an OLED TV, moreover, its local and finesse.
peak light intensity is achieved without the surrounding
darkness being polluted by light ‘leakage’. Sequences While this movie isn’t exactly a riot of colour (unless
like Alien's opening starscape are therefore a remarkably you like black and really dark grey), the occasional shot
convincing demonstration of the local contrast advantages featuring the neon-drenched backdrop of Gotham by
of the technology.
5

Good for Gotham

This boosted brightness has been achieved without any
compromise to the screen’s black levels. Dark scenes

'Small bright HDR highlights
appear more intense on
Philips' 807 than I’ve seen
from any OLED TV to date'

benefit from black colours that look richly, deeply and
consistently dark, with no near-black flickering from the
panel drivers, or drifting black tones caused by the set's
contrast optimisation processing. As Batman appears for
the first time in The Batman (4K Blu-ray), from a pitch black
railway station tunnel, the blackness is as absolute as it’s

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

REVIEWS 43

SPECIFICATIONS

4K: Yes. 3,840 x 2,160 HDR: Yes. HDR10; HLG; HDR10+; Dolby Vision TUNER: Yes.
Freeview HD; satellite HD CONNECTIONS: 4 x HDMI inputs; 3 x USB; headphone jack;
Ethernet 4K/120 PLAYBACK: Yes, via two of four HDMIs SOUND (CLAIMED): 70W
BRIGHTNESS (CLAIMED): 1,000 nits on 3% white window CONTRAST RATIO
(CLAIMED): N/A DIMENSIONS (OFF STAND): 1,225.4(w) x 701.4(h) x 68(d)mm
WEIGHT (OFF STAND): 18.3kg

FEATURES: High-brightness EX panel; Gen 6 P5 picture engine; Advanced HDR tone
mapping system; four-sided Ambilight with Hue support; Aurora screensaver mode;
Android 11 OS; ALLM and VRR (incl. AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia G-Sync);
Game Bar; Filmmaker Mode; IMAX Enhanced; Bluetooth; Wi-Fi; Dolby Atmos

TESTED WITH

night reveals the 55OLED807’s colour performance to THE BATMAN: Matt Reeves’ dark and
be seriously impressive – and the panel's greater broody reboot of Bats, as more of
luminance is used to help colour tones seem more natural a fancily dressed detective than
rather than more aggressive or cartoonlike. Even in the a superhero, delivers more than
TV's most aggressive Crystal Clear picture preset, colours enough style, cerebral interest and
are typically balanced and authentic, with just the testosterone-fuelled gadget stu to
occasional tone standing out too much. make it one of the character’s finest
cinematic outings. It looks and sounds
The experience of 4K sharpness and detail the great on 4K Blu-ray, too – see p88.
55OLED807 delivers with both native 4K and upscaled
HD sources is outstanding. Maybe, in the aforementioned This manual intervention is one of a number that I’d 4. The 55OLED807 can
Crystal Clear preset, a touch artificially so, in fact. Yet with recommend you make with the 55OLED807’s default sync its Ambilight
the milder presets every little texture and every hint of grain settings. Another would be that if you’re watching a film with Philips' incoming
can be seen in The Batman’s native (from shooting to FS1 smart speaker
digital intermediate) 4K visuals. in a dark room, turn off not only the set’s Eco mode
features, but also the new Ambient AI features. 5. The Android smart
All this clarity can be retained when there’s motion Or, at least, the Eye Care and Dark Scene Optimisation system includes
to contend with – use either Philips' Pure Cinema or options, as these crush out far too much shadow detail premium VOD apps
Movie motion options to enjoy a picture that looks neither in the sort of dark room settings many of us typically and Freeview Play
unnaturally fluid or too a icted with unwanted processing want to watch movies in.
side effects. 6. The top third of the
Philips still tends to be a bit over-enthusiastic with TV is just ultra-slim
Complementing the TV's cinematic images is an its noise reduction and motion presets, too, so you’ll OLED glass...
audio performance that largely makes a mockery of usually need to tone those down. Also, while the
Crystal Clear preset is very appealing on one level
its slender chassis. The mid-range, in particular, sounds 6 – it seems to be really taking advantage of everything
the EX panel can do – it does need configuring when
surprisingly rich and fulsome, which is great for dialogue it comes to its sharpness and colour strength to give
and soundtrack delivery, and there's decent weight it a more consistent performance. Philips' HDR Personal
of bass at one end and fine detailing at the other. preset, on the other hand, is a little duller than you might
Sometimes, with very low-frequency effects, the TV's expect, especially as there are also Filmmaker Mode
rear-facing woofer can sound like it's being asked to and Home Cinema options to cater for people who want
do too much, but generally this is an enjoyable listen. accurate pictures.

Later in the year there will be, once again, higher- Next level OLED
spec Philips OLEDs with Bowers & Wilkins-designed
speaker bars – keep that in mind if you're in the market The sheer number of image presets and adjustments
for a more all-singing, all-dancing solution. here is perhaps overwhelming, so it's pleasing that even
out of the box the 55OLED807’s pictures are clearly
Adjustment bureau better than those of its already excellent predecessor.
Tweaking them a little, if you are inclined, simply makes
Back with picture performance, the 55OLED807 the step forward more pronounced. And the star of the
looks stunning as a game monitor. Its sharpness, show is the new EX panel, which adds an extra level of
vibrant colours, strong motion clarity and dynamism to OLED's customary strengths.
extreme contrast work perfectly with the latest
game graphics standards. Overall, this model comfortably improves on
the OLED806 without substantially moving
The only frustrations are that you can’t the price dial. Superb ■
game in Dolby Vision at 4K/120 frame rates, and – as with
last year’s 806 series – the 4K resolution is halved in HDR VERDICT
Game mode if your console is outputting 4K/120Hz signals
with variable refresh rates. To retain full 4K resolution with Philips 55OLED807
120Hz VRR feeds, you’ll need to switch to HDR Monitor
mode, which takes away some of the colour and brightness ➜ £1,799 ➜ www.philips.co.uk
enhancements the Game mode maintains.
WE SAY: Another OLED step forward from Philips – this
TV's performance is exemplary, and the specification is
comprehensive. Be prepared to tweak a bit, though.

AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

44 DEVIALET DIONE/£1,990

1

The debut Dolby Atmos soundbar from French manufacturer
Devialet is a sensational performer, says Steve May

Hardcore home
cinema thrills

French hi-fi auteur Devialet has a knack for delivering This is because the Dione has no fewer than eight
seismic bass from compact boxes, as seen in its SAM-powered (Speaker Active Matching) bass drivers
celebrated Phantom speakers that rock like enclosures onboard, which allow it to drop down to a claimed 24Hz.
three times the size. Now comes the Dione, the brand’s For the end user, this results in a soundbar that lands
first Dolby Atmos soundbar, and it punches even lower. its low blows with homogeneous, gut-punching skill.
Nor does it take long to realise that Devialet's Dione
When Elsa Pataky, as Captain J. J. Collins in Netflix is a devastating Dolby Atmos debut by the brand.
actioner Interceptor, unloads her sidearm into a hulking
terrorist early into the attack on her isolated marine station, Enter the Orb
the gun sounds like a cannon going o . Yummy.
Wide at 1.2m (and reassuringly hefty at 12kg), this soundbar
is best matched to screens 55in and up, and it promises
a 5.1.2-channel performance, courtesy of 17 drivers in total

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

REVIEWS 45

– nine 1.6in diameter full- 2

range aluminium units, AV INFO

plus those eight aluminium PRODUCT:
Premium single-
woofers, which adopt a 5.25in enclosure Dolby
Atmos soundbar
racetrack driver design. POSITION:
Devialet's only
The Dione's forward-facing soundbar model
PEERS:
array is fabric cloaked, the end Sennheiser Ambeo;
Bowers & Wilkins
modules having Dolby Panorama 3;
Bang & Olufsen
Enabled height drivers Beosound Stage

similarly clad. The real 1. When wall-
mounted, the Dione's
eye-catcher, though, is the Orb driver can be
rotated to still
spherical centre channel, fire forwards
2. Devialet's
named the Orb. exploded view of the
soundbar shows the
This comes in a default configuration of its 17
drivers, including
position for horizontal use. side-facing units at
each end
However, if you choose to wall 3. Amplifier power is
rated at 950W via
mount the 'bar, the Orb can be Devialet's custom
ADH technology
re-orientated and locked into

an alternate forward-facing

orientation. An internal

gyroscope tells the soundbar how it’s been positioned, also Movie is best thought of as the standard option for
most material. When there’s no Dolby Atmos or core
resulting in the Atmos drivers becoming front firers, and the multichannel stream, it’ll upscale any two-channel source
to 5.1.2, using Devialet's proprietary 'SPACE' upmixing
front L/R becoming heights. Clever. algorithm. With wireless two-channel sources (Bluetooth,
Spotify etc), the 'Spatial' upscaling mode is used.
Fit and finish is excellent, as it should be at the Dione's
Use the Music preset, and the Dione reverts to a stereo
premium price. The soundbar has a sleek, classy feel to configuration, with only the left and right drivers in use.
Voice, as expected, is designed to enhance vocal clarity
it – even the on-body controls, over to its left-hand side, for TV, news and podcasts. This is a good deal more subtle
than some rival interpretations, so credit should be given
look smart. There’s no dedicated remote control though – to Devialet for improving speech clarity without sacrificing
overall fidelity.
instead you have to perform in-depth operation via an app.
There’s no DTS:X support on this 'bar, but that’s no
This is fine as long as the wielder of the smartphone or biggie. Most TVs can’t pass it through anyway, and it’s not
used by streaming services.
tablet is in the room, but isn't convenient for others who
Stern test
might want control when the smart device owner is absent.
Devialet's Dione makes everything sound great. Even the
A usability fail in my book. simplest mix – David Letterman interviewing Howard
Stern (My Next Guest, Netflix) – is buttery smooth. The
The Dione is compatible with Devialet’s Phantom soundbar's central Orb unit comprises one active driver,
plus two passive radiators, which goes some way to
remote, but that’s a very expensive extra. explaining its rich timbre.

Connections, compared to some soundbars selling In particular, the Dione is superb when it
comes to ambience and mood. In Moon
for even a quarter of the price, are minimal. There’s just Knight (Disney+, Dolby Atmos)
when Mark Spector makes
a single HDMI which is eARC/ARC enabled, plus a digital a break for it in the

optical audio input, and Ethernet. With no HDMI switching, HIGHLY

you’ll need to ensure all your sources come via your TV. RECOMMENDED

Wireless connectivity is more accommodating, comprising

AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Bluetooth 5.0 and UPnP.

At the heart of the soundbar is an SoC (System on a

Chip) with a 24-bit/96kHz DAC embedded alongside

Devialet’s analogue digital hybrid (ADH) amplification

and SAM technology.

'Appy families

Setup via the app is slick and intuitive. The software quickly

recognises the Dione over Bluetooth, and connects it to

your network. A short calibration routine then tailors the

output of the soundbar to your room's acoustics, using a

quartet of in-built mics. These can be disabled once the

calibration is complete, as they’re not used for anything

else – this soundbar isn’t smart, and doesn’t

support voice assistants of any persuasion.

The app, which is nicely designed,

confirms the source format

(be it Dolby Atmos,

multichannel or

stereo) and o ers

audio presets: Movie/

Spatial, Music and

Voice, plus a 3
dynamically compressed

Night mode.

AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

46 REVIEWS

4 SPECIFICATIONS

DRIVE UNITS: 9 x 1.6in diameter full-range aluminium drivers; 8 x 5.25in-wide
aluminium long-throw bass drivers in push-push pairs ONBOARD POWER (CLAIMED):
950W, via analogue digital hybrid (ADH) technology CONNECTIONS: HDMI eARC
connection; optical digital audio input; Ethernet DOLBY ATMOS/DTS:X: Yes/No
SEPARATE SUBWOOFER: No REMOTE CONTROL: No. Devialet app instead, or
optional Devialet Phantom controller DIMENSIONS: 1,200(w) x 88(h) x 165(d)mm
WEIGHT: 12kg

FEATURES: Dolby Atmos/Dolby Digital Plus decoding; wall-mounting; rotatable
Orb centre driver; Apple AirPlay 2; Spotify Connect; UPnP; Bluetooth v5.0; Movie/
Spatial, Music, Voice and Night listening modes; SPACE upmixing; Adaptive Volume
Level (AVL); Speaker Active Matching (SAM); 'Advanced Dimensional Experience'

5 beam-forming; 24Hz-21kHz claimed frequency response; 24-bit/96kHz DAC; app

control; room calibration

TESTED WITH

INTERCEPTOR: An unapologetically
generic Netflix actioner with a fine
Atmos soundmix. It’s big on bombast,
with an insistent, driving score – just
the ticket to test out low-frequency
e ects and directional steering. Listen
out also for more subtle reflective
ambience as our heroes scarper about
their beleaguered marine base.

mental institution, unsteady on his feet and struggling flinch. Its performance is muscular without sounding 4. Volume, source,
to comprehend what's going on, his every stumble is over-bearing. power and Bluetooth
distinguished by deep, bassy thumps. As the score swells controls are located on
around him, the presentation becomes symphonic. Similarly, Kagutsuchi, by Ibaraki, is wildly percussive, but the top of the chassis
the soundbar still manages to handle it with the discipline
As I’ve come to expect from most single-piece of two discrete stereo speakers. Channel separation is 5. Physical inputs are
soundbars, the sense of surround is left wanting. pronounced, in the best way. Ethernet, optical
For all its reflective beam-forming and high-end processing, and HDMI eARC
the Dione can’t create the illusion of sounds to the rear. Still, I often found myself hankering for the soundbar’s
But it does at least deliver surround mixes with a upscaling talents. Belle & Sebastian’s Talk to Me Talk to
pronounced width, plus smooth panning of e ects Me gains welcome spatial depth when upmixed to 5.1.2 by
across the front soundstage. Devialet’s Spatial mode. The vocals float, the band has
more space.
'The Dione is a thrilling all-in-
Inevitably, the best option of all is Dolby Atmos music,
one Dolby Atmos model, delivered in my case by the Tidal TV app. Foreigner’s Feels
Like the First Time enjoys stadium-style scale. Shut your
notable for its rich tonality eyes and you're there.

and best-in-class bass' Blockbuster 'bar

Meanwhile, back with Interceptor (Netflix, Dolby Atmos), The Dione might be Devialet's first ever soundbar, but it
the honking Michael Lira score, deep ‘thwupping’ chopper performs as if the brand has been making movie machines
blades, and clanking bombastic action, are sounding for years. It's a thrilling all-in-one Dolby Atmos model,
joyfully dramatic and largescale. The movie’s sound notable for its rich tonality and best-in-class bass. It sounds
design is visceral, and that’s largely what’s delivered by glorious with movies, is tailor-made for action blockbusters,
the Dione. The 'SBX-1 Interceptor' base, centre of the but is no slouch with music either.
action, reverberates to an ominous LFE rhythm, and when
the shooting starts, the mix is immense. The price tag is obviously a bit rich, eclipsing the Bowers
& Wilkins Panorama 3 (HCC #332) and Bang & Olufsen
One proprietary Devialet technology in use here is Beosound Stage (HCC #310) by quite a few quid, but style,
Adaptive Volume Level (AVL), which adjusts sound levels bass profundity and musicality are jaw droppingly fine.
in real-time to minimise the too quiet/too loud listening
syndrome (we first saw this on the Sky Soundbox, HCC At retail you’ll find it squaring up alongside Sennheiser's
#280). I suspect this is slightly cramping dynamics – venerable Ambeo (HCC #302), which in terms of
Interceptor tends to play at a constant volume. It does immersive performance has the edge, but it can’t match
make dialogue easier to follow though, which could be seen Devialet's Dione for elegance ■
by many users as a positive, and the influence of AVL isn’t
as obvious as it was on the Sky speaker. VERDICT

That distinctive deep bass doesn’t dissipate when Devialet Dione
listening in two-channel music mode. Car Crash, by Idles,
is a thumping, bulldozer of a track, and the Dione doesn’t ➜ £1,990 ➜ www.devialet.com

WE SAY: Devialet brings home the box office with a blockbuster
'bar o ering smooth and syrupy sound – it’s a sumptuous
listen, and stylish too. A remote control would be nice, though.

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

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48 TRINNOV AMPLITUDE16/£10, 275

1

Maximum power,
minimum space

Trinnov’s new 16-channel Amplitude model is all the amplifier
you’ll ever need, argues Steve Withers

Trinnov has forged a reputation when it comes to The brand currently offers three power amps: the
object-based home cinema sound, its Altitude32 and Amplitude8, the Amplitude8m, and the new Amplitude16
Altitude16 (HCC #287/#322) processors setting a high reviewed here. As the nomenclature suggests, the first two
bar. But given a processor is only as good as the amp are eight-channel models, while the latter crams a
it’s partnered with, it figured it had better build some. staggering 16 channels of grunt into its stylish chassis.

2 The Amplitude8 is actually the big daddy in terms of
its size, which matches the Altitude32, and ability to drive
HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022 all eight channels at 225W into 8ohm loads Alternatively,
the more svelte Amplitude8m is intended for use with the
Altitude16, but can still push its eight channels at 200W.

Yet neither of those are a one-box solution for the
expansive speaker systems Trinnov's processors are
designed to feed. So in comes the Amplitude16, with its
16 channels, to partner the Altitude16 without requiring any
additional amplification. Yes, Altitude32 owners may need
more than one, but if you’re rocking 32 channels I’m

REVIEWS 49

left-hand-side of the chassis, and the good news is these AV INFO
are very quiet and only kick in when needed.
PRODUCT:
The hi-fi community still argues about Class D power 16-channel Class D
versus more traditional Class A/B and Class A approaches, power amplifier with
but for multichannel audio and specifically movie DB25 inputs and
soundtracks, driving multiple speakers simultaneously bridged output
and with power to spare is key. The Amplitude16 has POSITION:
this in spades, rated for all channels at 200W/8ohm and Trinnov’s highest-
400W/4ohm. What’s more, you can bridge channel pairs spec power amp
for a suggested output of 800W/8ohm and 1000W/ PEERS:
4ohm. This is a useful feature, allowing greater clout to be StormAudio
delivered to L/C/R speakers – which do much of the heavy PA16 MK2
lifting – and one that installers will appreciate.
1. Front panel LEDs
They’ll like Trinnov’s connection choices as well, with denote channel
the Amplitude16 eschewing the usual input options for status, and can be
dimmed if desired
'It's like Muhammad Ali, 2. There are side panel
dazzling you with fancy vents for the amp's
footwork before sending dual internal fans
a pile-driver to the head' 3. The Amplitude16
uses Class D modules
guessing space isn’t an issue. The idea of a tidy solution a pair of DB25 connectors. The beauty of this is you designed in
certainly appeals to me, and the fact the Amplitude16 eliminate the need for 16 XLR cables, thus keeping the collaboration
is styled to match the Altitude16 doesn’t hurt either. amount of spaghetti around the back to a minimum. Of with ICEpower
course, this works best if the connecting processor also has
The amp has LEDs on the front to indicate the status of DB25 outputs, which Trinnov's Altitude32 does. Annoyingly
each of the 16 channels, including any that are bridged, and the Altitude16 doesn’t, nor does it have an upgrade path,
there’s also an illuminated Trinnov logo that shows whether so you have to use cables with eight XLRs on one end and
the amp is in standby (red), booting up (green) or full a DB25 connector on the other. Not quite as tidy.
power (white). These LEDs look cool, but can be turned
off if you’re trying to keep your cinema as dark as possible. Another benefit of the DB25 inputs is increased real
estate on the Amplitude16's back panel for its 5-way
Unlike the Amplitude8 and 8m, which both use Hypex binding posts, which are evenly spaced out and clearly
Ncore Class D amplifiers, the Amplitude16 takes a different labelled – each pair of outputs has a switch for bridging
approach. This power-pusher was developed to Trinnov’s the channels. There’s then another switch for turning off
specifications in partnership with Danish brand ICEpower the front LEDs, plus 12V in and out triggers. Finally, Trinnov
(formerly owned by Bang & Olufsen), and maximises the offers an optional Audio over IP input board, which again
performance of its ICEpower Class D modules with a will appeal to the CI community.
custom dual power supply and heat dissipation design.
Connected to my regular Altitude16, and running a
That dual power supply explains why the Altitude16 9.2.6-channel system, I put the amp through its paces with
comes with two power cables – it’s basically two eight- the Dolby Atmos bombast of Michael Bay's Ambulance (4K
channel amplifiers in a single chassis that’s three rack units Blu-ray). You won’t find a more aggressive and dynamic
high (13.2cm), which is quite an achievement. The build
quality is also very high, with a full-metal chassis and 3
thick aluminium front-plate, so you won’t be surprised
to discover it weighs 20.5kg.

Class warfare

To build a 16-channel amplifier this compact but also this
powerful you have to use Class D – anything else wouldn’t
be practical. There’s no need for a massive toroidal
transformer, and if you tried to cram 16 channels of any
other type of juice into a single chassis, the resulting unit
could double as an AGA oven. Of course, while Class D is
more e cient, it does generate some heat. Trinnov’s heat
dissipation is based around a pair of fans built into the

AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

50 REVIEWS

SPECIFICATIONS

4 POWER OUTPUT (CLAIMED): 16 x 200W (8ohm); 16 x 400W (4ohm); bridged pairs

rated at 800W (8ohm) and 1,000W (4ohm) CONNECTIONS: 2 x DB25 female inputs;
16 x 5-way binding posts; 12V input; 12V output DIMENSIONS: 482(w) x 132(h) x
452(d)mm WEIGHT: 20.5kg

FEATURES: Dual eight-channel ICEpower Class D amplifiers with separate power
supplies/sockets; bridgeable channel pairs; maximum 3,200W total power output
across 16 channels; status LEDs (can be turned o ); clipping sensor; rack ears

TESTED WITH

object-based soundtrack, and the Amplitude16 proved the MORBIUS: Sony’s latest Marvel
perfect foil for the processor’s slick decoding and steering. adaptation disappoints (and a
104-minute running time hints at
The film's chase narrative provides plenty of opportunity studio tampering), but its vampiric
to engage all the system channels as vehicles roar down action is delivered with impressive
streets, helicopters buzz and those in the back of the titular native 4K visuals and the
vehicle are buffeted by constant collisions. A sequence accompanying Atmos track is a
involving a remote control car and a mini-gun was total blast, with extensive use of the
especially memorable as the powerful, lively Trinnov overheads and seriously deep bass.
rendered gunshots and car crashes with depth and clarity.
sending these overlapping waves of sound through each 4. The Amplitude16 is
The e ciencies offered by Class D are obvious as the speaker in a manner that is precise and punchy, creating a size (and channel)
Amplitude16 energises the entire soundstage, and its a sense of an acoustic framework all around you. match for Trinnov's
ability to generate massive amounts of output was readily Altitude16 processor
apparent. But it’s not all brute force; there’s a remarkable A quick dive into the shuttle launch sequence in
finesse to its delivery, easing into transients with a Moonfall (4K Blu-ray) demonstrates the importance of 5. Inputs are on DB25
seamless fluidity, and producing waves of attack with headroom, and the Amplitude16's knack for it. Even while connectors (right of
a sudden ferocity. It’s like Muhammad Ali, dazzling you with the audio in this scene is undeniably overwhelming, it never rear panel) instead
fancy footwork before sending a pile-driver to the head. feels distorted or strained. There's a composure and of XLR or RCA
balance to the amp that's easy to fall in love with.
Trinnov claims the input level sensitivity of the
Amplitude16 is designed to perfectly match the Altitude’s Sonic nirvana
output level, thus maximising dynamic range and signal-to-
noise ratio. I like to imagine this tech trick helps explain the Overall, a seriously classy unit that combines stylish looks,
uniform soundstage, with responsive dynamics and pin- a superb build, and exceptional performance to easily
point accuracy, that I experienced from a 15-speaker setup. justify a hefty price tag. More importantly, this amplifier will
elevate any multichannel system with its clean, powerful,
Morbius (4K Blu-ray) is, let's face it, a bit of mess. But its responsive delivery. Partner it with the Altitude16 and you’ll
complex sound design is nothing of the sort, especially be immersed in sonic nirvana, but whatever your processor,
during the vampire bat sequence. Winged rodents swarm the Amplitude16 is an amplifier you can rely on ■
around every part of the room and Trinnov's amp doesn’t
break a sweat as it drives all channels to create a soundfield VERDICT
that feels terrifying believable.
Trinnov Amplitude16
Our anti-hero has an echo-location ability that projects
a powerful sonic pulse out in every direction. Sound-wise ➜ £10,275 ➜ www.trinnov.com
it’s wonderfully visceral, even if the associated visual effect
makes it look like he’s broken wind in epic fashion. The WE SAY: Trinnov has developed the perfect partner for its
Amplitude16 handles these scenes with admirable skill, peerless AV processors by squeezing 16 channels of agile,
nuanced and staggeringly powerful grunt into a single box.
5

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022