Home Cinema -August 2022

We invented subwoofers
Now we’ve just reinvented them

Once again, M&K Sound® has defined the meaning of deep bass. The new THX® Certified X+
Series subwoofers, including the 15-inch THX® Certified Dominus X15+, deliver even

more of the legendary reference bass performance for which M&K Sound is widely acclaimed.
M&K Sound’s speakers and subwoofers can be found in all major film studios and many
top recording venues around the world. That surely speaks for itself.

For more information, call the UK’s exclusive M&K Sound distributor Gecko Home Cinema on 01635 268114

52 XGIMI AURA/£2,399

AV INFO On the evidence of this UST PJ, John Archer feels
newcomer Xgimi is ready to take on the AV big boys
PRODUCT:
4K HDR ultra-short- Aura PJ makes
throw projector movies glow

POSITION:
Xgimi’s only UST
model, and its most
expensive home
entertainment PJ

PEERS:
Hisense 100L9GTUK;
Samsung The
Premiere SP-LSP9T

Xgimi is the latest in a growing line of relatively new Chinese
brands on a mission to shake up the home entertainment
market – and if its new Aura ultra-short-throw projector is
anything to go by, it’ll soon find plenty of fans. Priced £2,399,
this beamer feels like serious value for money.

1. The Aura's two-tone That price is eye-catchingly little for what, as we’ll see, DCI-P3 colour gamut standard, and hit a peak brightness
chassis features a is a very well specified home entertainment machine, yet of 2,400 Lumens.
smart, gently curved the Aura also looks unexpectedly premium. Somewhat
top panel reminiscent of BenQ's V7000i model in size and shape, Rear-facing connections include three HDMI inputs
although curvier, it flaunts a striking mix of brushed metal – when most projectors only manage two – as well
2. Keep images top edge and black felt-covered speaker section. This faces as a trio of USBs. The HDMIs tackle 4K and HDR10,
to 120in max for out of the projector’s rear, which in the UST case means but as their bandwidth is limited to 18Gbps there are
optimum picture directly out towards your seating position. no 4K/120Hz or variable refresh rate gaming facilities.
performance, A missed trick? Possibly.
says Xgimi Images are projected through a slit in the top of the
chassis, and can stretch to 150in (from a throw distance The Aura carries built-in Wi-Fi to feed an Android TV
1 of 17.3in), although Xgimi suggests a max size of 120in smart system, a key feature in Xgimi’s bid to position
is preferable for image quality. As usual with UST the projector as a realistic alternative to a super-size TV.
projectors, the Aura doesn’t carry any zoom, so its picture This Android interface does not, however, currently support
size is entirely dependent on how close to your wall/screen the BBC iPlayer, All4 or Freeview Play apps. Also, the
you place it. Netflix app, while present, doesn’t work properly. Xgimi
says it’s in discussions with Netflix, but there’s no potential
If your installation leaves the image with angled sides, fix date yet.
an eight-point keystone correction system is provided
to help you straighten things out. There are more Blaze of glory
comprehensive keystone tools out there, but actually
I found the Xgimi easier to set up than many rivals. While inevitably not without its compromises and
limitations, for the most part the Xgimi Aura is a startlingly
Laser phosphor effective performer.

Under the lid are laser DLP optics, using the 'ALPD 3.0 laser It really is bright. Even using my usual neutral-gain
phosphor system' from Chinese corp projection screen (many buyers may just aim it at a white
Appotronics. Xgimi claims wall, of course), the Aura crafts visuals in a blaze of HDR
this can cover off glory, hitting brightness heights in both peak light areas and
80% of the across the screen that make the company's 2,400 Lumens
output claim look conservative.

The ultra-short-throw ‘beam’ distance also helps it
e ciently combat ambient light. Sure, there’s still some
compromise with viewing in daylight conditions compared
with a true TV experience, particularly in dark areas of the
image. But the Aura fares better in this regard than I'd
usually expect from a projector setup.

The model's high brightness gives its pictures a delicious
punch in a dark room setting, and help it produce a more
convincing sense of high dynamic range support than most
projectors in this price range manage (HDR being, after all,
designed predominantly for TVs).

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

REVIEWS 53

GIRL POWER

Disney series Ms.
Marvel intros a new

young hero, p96

2 AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

HIGHLY

RECOMMENDED

54 REVIEWS

SPECIFICATIONS

3D: Yes. Active shutter 4K: Yes. 3,840 x 2,160 (via DLP double flashing) HDR: Yes.
HDR10 CONNECTIONS: 3 x HDMI inputs; 3 x USB; headphone jack; optical audio
output BRIGHTNESS (CLAIMED): 2,400 Lumens CONTRAST (CLAIMED): N/A
ZOOM: N/A DIMENSIONS: 606(w) x 139.5(h) x 401(d)mm WEIGHT: 11kg

FEATURES: Ultra-short-throw projector; single-chip DLP with single laser and colour
wheel optics; built-in Harman Kardon-designed speaker system; 20,000-hour
claimed laser life; Movie, Game, O ce, Football and Custom picture presets; 100in
image from 9.7in throw distance; Android TV smart system

TESTED WITH

3 THE DARK KNIGHT RISES: Time hasn’t
eroded the dark power of the middle
Maybe the best thing about the Aura’s luminance skill is part of Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed
how relatively little it damages the projector’s black levels. Batman trilogy. Heath Ledger’s Joker is
The truck/prisoner transport chase through the blackened a performance for the ages, and the
streets of Gotham in The Dark Knight Rises (4K Blu-ray) script and beautifully crafted action
really convinces. There's little sign of a grey wash hanging scenes make this a highlight even by
over dark areas, good amounts of visible shadow detail, Nolan’s lofty standards. Bag it on the
reasonably natural dark colours, and a sense of depth 4K BD trilogy boxset.
that’s almost as defined as it is during the film's bright
scenes. In short, there’s not much of a distracting drop in the only really usable one, with reds increased and greens 3. Integrated
image quality as the picture transitions from bright to dark. decreased in its colour temperature menu. Unhelpfully, the Chromecast enables
Aura doesn’t let you tweak the non-Custom presets screen mirroring
These credible black levels are mildly beneficial in bright in any substantial way. on an epic scale...
room settings, but come into their own with the lights down
It handles motion quite awkwardly, too. Judder is
'The Aura crafts visuals in a unusually excessive without the motion processing system
blaze of HDR glory, and gives in play, yet the system proves rather basic, with even its
pictures a delicious punch minimum power setting generating noticeable artefacts
in a dark room setting' around the edges of fast-moving objects. But I wouldn’t
say these motion issues are a deal breaker.
for movie night. Indeed, the Aura is one of the most
adaptable ultra-bright projectors I've experienced, despite A more minor niggle is that it’s impossible to get a
its far from stratospheric price tag. perfect balance of contrast and brightness. Using the
default 50 brightness setting with HDR can cause black
And it's worth adding that its pictures aren’t saddled crush in dark areas. This can be fixed by increasing it, but
with hot spots (excessively bright areas), the like of which you can only nudge it up one or two levels before blacks
very bright UST projectors can sometimes display. start to look elevated and bright areas start to bleach.

Sharp shooter It's back to positive territory with the Aura’s audio,
though. A 4 x 15W speaker system has been cooked up with
Like any remotely affordable DLP projector on the planet, audio brand Harman Kardon, and it sounds strikingly warm,
Xgimi's Aura doesn’t have a native 4K pixel count (which rounded, detailed and dynamic. Dialogue handling is also
would involve fitting 3,840 x 2,160 tiny mirrors on the back naturalistic, while impact effects emerge with a decent
of its 'digital mirror device'). It therefore offers a pseudo sense of attack. The only problem, ironically, is a lack of
4K image by flashing its mirrors multiple times per frame projection. Voices sound quite detached from the images
to create the impression of a 4K resolution. sitting above the projector, and the rest of the mix doesn’t
spread far from the Aura's bodywork, meaning your
This technique was once viewed with scepticism but monster visuals aren't accompanied by suitably sized
is now an established part of the AV landscape, and even sonics. It’s superior to many other built-in projector sound
on the huge scale the Aura is asked to project, its sharp systems, however, and an optical audio output supports
pictures look at the very least 4K adjacent. This is external hardware.
something easy to appreciate in the way it clearly shows
the differences in The Dark Knight Rises’ 4K transfer, as it Brace for impact
switches between ultra-clean and detailed 16:9 ‘IMAX’
scenes and the less crisp, slightly grainier 2.35:1 sequences. While Xgimi and other manufacturers have a job on their
hands to propel the idea of UST projectors as TVs into the
The least commendable aspect of the PJ's performance mainstream, the Aura's combination of a decent price,
is a slightly washed out and ‘off’ colour palette. This is elegant style and sharp, impactful performance are
mostly noticeable with the colour temperature set to a healthy step in the right direction ■
Warm, which tends to inject more yellow rather than red,
and doesn't help with low-lit skin tones. VERDICT

In fact, aside from perhaps the Football preset, such Xgimi Aura
colour limitations make the Xgimi's Custom picture mode
➜ £2,399 ➜ uk.xgimi.com

WE SAY: Surprisingly good sharpness, brightness, and contrast
– and impressive Harman Kardon-aided sound quality
– make Xgimi's Aura an ultra-short-throw bargain.

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

Award-winning

Home Cinemas

Home Cinema Level II “We could not fault Cyberhomes. When they
came up with their 3D design of what our
cinema room could be we never expected
WKHP WR GHOLYHU WKH ÀQLVKHG SURGXFW H[DFWO\
like the concept.”

– Homeowner, Lapworth

At Cyberhomes our home cinemas and smart home installations aren’t
just about the amazing 4K picture and immersive Dolby Atmos sound.

We can also implement the lighting, the seating, the room acoustic treatments, the
intuitive control system from Savant, Crestron or Control4, and so much more.

7R ÀQG RXW PRUH GHWDLOV FDOO 0333 344 3718 or
visit www.cyberhomes.co.uk/hcc

Home Cinema Level II

Home cinema design and installation • Lighting control systems • Multi-room audio and video
Home automation • CCTV and security • Managed Wi-Fi networks • Climate control

0333 344 3718 [email protected] www.cyberhomes.co.uk

56 REL HT/1510 PREDATOR/£1,799

1

Predator 2: The
Sequel, anyone?

REL's home cinema-centric subwoofer range returns, once again with a 'no-frills, all the spills'
ethos. Richard Stevenson plays fast and deep with the 15in HT/1510

AV INFO REL’S DEDICATED HOME Theatre (HT) Series subs have A brushed vinyl wrap around the main body keeps costs
been winning over home cinema enthusiasts for a few down, while the heavily braced cabinet’s rounded edges
PRODUCT: years now, with a three-strong lineup in 10in, 12in and now run on the verticals rather than the horizontals.
Sealed 15in 15in guises packing 300W, 500W and 800W amps, Size-wise, the HT/1510 is about as compact as 15in subs
subwoofer respectively. The naming protocol is genius too; HT/1003, get, making it suited for big bass in even relatively small
HT/1205 and the original flagship HT/1508 (HCC #296) rooms. Like its predecessor, we are talking homely rather
POSITION: came to our auditoriums with the suffix ‘Predator’. So in just than pretty, but hey, the cinema room is dark.
New flagship in one word the company gives you a big clue about what to
REL’s Home expect, the HT Series models being more a ordable than REL’s rail-like feet that run from front to back remain,
Theatre Series REL’s dual-purpose music/cinema subs, and focused on now with markedly less bright front-facing logos. Grippy
maximum LFE bangs for your buck. rubber bases stop the sub from wandering o across hard
PEERS: floors, but on the downside there is no adjustment, twiddly
Bowers & Wilkins Enter the new HT/1510 Predator, which takes over the feet or spike mounts in the rails, so if you have an uneven
DB4S; top-dog spot as a tricky sequel to a stunning original that floor, the Predator is never going to sit level (at 45kg, it isn’t
KEF KF92; delivered on its promise in spades. going to wobble, though). Should the madness take you,
REL S/510 these rails also allow stacking of up to three HT/1510s in
From the outside, things are a little better dressed, with REL’s 'Line Array' configuration.
a neat gloss panel now across the top surface, extending
the theme from the original’s glossy in-lay. The paint finish Ready to rumble
is very good, with very little ‘peel’ in the mirror surface,
and the central REL logo is a little more restrained this time The forward-firing 15in CarbonGlas woofer has seen some
around. That surface still attracts dust like a super-magnet, subtle revisions, too, its glass-fibre cone with considerable
but at least on the new version the dust doesn’t get stuck carbon-fibre cap now paired with a 75mm voice coil motor
between the top and inlay panel when you wipe it. designed to handle a lot more power. That power is now

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

REVIEWS 57

supplied by a 1,000W-rated Class A/B amp, delivering 25 SPECIFICATIONS
per cent more grunt than the original.
DRIVE UNITS: 1 x 15in custom CarbonGlas bass driver ENCLOSURE: Sealed ONBOARD
Around the back, there is, well, not a great deal. POWER (CLAIMED): 1,000W Class A/B linear power supply amplifier FREQUENCY
Phase, auto-power, gain and filter controls, the latter with RESPONSE (CLAIMED): 20Hz-200Hz REMOTE CONTROL: No DIMENSIONS: 540(w) x
30Hz-200Hz roll-o , are standard for nearly all woofers. 457(h) x 494(d)mm WEIGHT: 45kg
Inputs and outputs (for daisy chaining that aforementioned
Line Array) are on both RCA and balanced XLR, but REL’s FEATURES: Stereo/LFE phono in/out; balanced XLR in/out; phase switch; auto-
signature Neutrik-based speaker-level connection, oft used power switch; gain control; 30Hz-200Hz crossover adjustment; compatible with
for stereo music setups, is conspicuous by its absence. REL HT-Air wireless kit; rail feet enable 'Line Array' stacking; 'BrilliantBrace' cabinet
There was, I'm told, much debate at REL about including construction; Perfect Filter technology
this on the MkII Predator model, but I for one appreciate the
purity of dedicated, purpose-designed products, so keeping TESTED WITH
the HT/1510 as LFE-only works for me. There’s also nothing
stopping you from hooking up the stereo phonos to a spare THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS: This
stereo pre-out and dialling the REL’s filters to balance with much anticipated sequel doesn't
your main L/R speakers. knock the original o its perch, but
remains a good action romp filled with
The price has nudged up a little to a not-insignificant set-pieces and humour. On 4K disc it
£1,800 for the HT/1510, versus the £1,600 of the HT/1508, o ers darkly detailed visuals, stunning
but given that potential 25 per cent increase in power, slam sonic e ects, and a pulse-pounding
and depth, it still looks pretty good value. soundtrack that will give your
subwoofer plenty to dig into.

The tight stu foot-tapping senses. This is a subwoofer that takes your 1. The HT/1510 debuts
bass enthusiasm in its stride. REL's new 15in
If there was a defining character in the earlier HT Series CarbonGlas driver
I was sent a pair of HT/1510s to try out, and with plenty
it was speed, and the new Predator on the block continues of time to experiment with placements and levels they 2. Rear plate features
never once disappointed. A romp through the test-disc phono and XLR
the theme, only with more gas. A 15in driver pushes vast standards of Star Trek and Heat (still awaiting the 4K outputs for subwoofer
remaster…) resulted in ear-to-ear smiles, and Netflix’s daisy-chaining
chunks of air in front of it, making speedy movement a Atmos-mixed Stranger Things: Season 4 came across with
all the audio pedigree of the most expensive Hollywood
challenge, and needs to then brake hard, overcome cone movie sound tracks. And pairing two HT/1510s filled in a

momentum and go swiftly back in the opposite direction. negative node at the seating
position in my room nicely.
Yet, the HT/1510’s CarbonGlas driver seemingly
Playing music in stereo does
circumnavigates the physics, o ering all the alacrity of a reveal the HT/1510’s slight
shortcomings in terms of
much smaller cone and delivering bass so tight and punchy absolute low-frequency depth
and its ability to resolve similar
it’s got edges. 2 bass notes, but, hey, move along,
The Matrix Resurrections on this is a dedicated home theatre
subwoofer. If you want a REL
4K Blu-ray sees this sub nail the to do both, dig deeper of purse
and look at its Carbon Special
brief of thoroughly entertaining model. The HT/1510 is also a
little frugal of features at the
LFE, underpinning every e ect, price, given the lack of remote
control or any EQ system, let
shot and explosion with real alone app-based tweaking.

grunt. To quote a line from the More, more, more

movie, 'it’s so easy to forget how Breaking the mould of sequels to classics, this new
Predator is a very worthy successor to the original. It gives
much noise the Matrix pumps you more of the same ultra-fast, ultra-tight LFE, with more
headroom and the ability to go louder, all in a package that
into your head', and the HT/1510 remains compact and relatively a ordable. If you are going
to design a tool to do a specific job with ruthless efficiency
runs with that theme and single-minded purpose, this is how you go about it ■

throughout the thumping VERDICT

soundtrack and e ects. Yet REL HT/1510 Predator

the trick here is not the sheer ➜ £1,799 ➜ www.rel.net

volume of air it’s shifting or the WE SAY: REL's latest unapologetically stripped down and
cinema-focused Predator subwoofer delivers ultra-tight bass
depths it plumbs – there are and LFE with sublime impact. Grab an audition now!

15in subs that do this better –

it’s the HT/1510’s dynamics and

articulation that set a benchmark at the price.

This model excels at conveying the percussive and

highly stylised sound of the Agent’s pistol fire. Each bullet

gets a high-speed, chesty thump. No overhang or bloom,

just LFE impact. That lack of cone ‘wubba’ [other

descriptive terms are available – Ed] can make the LFE

level feel a little too low in the mix, despite the SPL meter

saying otherwise, especially if you are more familiar with

traditional (ie. bigger) 15in or 18in designs.

The gut rationale is to tweak the sub-level higher, either

in your AVR/processor or by a click or two of the Predator’s

volume knob, and the result is frankly fabulous. You get

more impact, more punch and more physical support to

the movie sound without the room sounding like the inside

of a bass drum. Explosions are more dramatic, bullets hit

home harder and musical scores cut straight to your

AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

58 WWW.POLKAUDIO.COM/£429

Polk MagniFi SPECIFICATIONS
Mini AX
DRIVERS: 2 x 0.75in tweeters; 3 x 2in
This smallform soundbar impresses Mark Craven with its mid-range ONBOARD POWER (CLAIMED): N/A
sonic talents, but the price tag might have you wondering if CONNECTIONS: 1 x HDMI (eARC); 1 x optical
you could go larger digital audio input; 1 x 3.5mm analogue
audio input; 1 x USB (firmware) DOLBY
ATMOS/DTS-X: Yes/Yes SEPARATE SUB: Yes,
5in x 7in driver REMOTE CONTROL: Yes
DIMENSIONS (SOUNDBAR): 366(w) x 79(h) x
104(d)mm WEIGHT (SOUNDBAR): N/A

FEATURES: Wi-Fi; AirPlay2; Chromecast;
Spotify Connect; Bluetooth (5.0); optional
wireless rears; Music, Movie, 3D, Night
modes; Voice Adjust; Polk SDA technology

AMONG THE BRANDS in the Sound United

stable, Polk Audio is the one that has the most Polk's wireless sub features a downfiring woofer

obvious designs on regular living rooms. the verticality and precision of native Atmos
'bars/speaker setups.
Its loudspeaker ranges, such at the Monitor
Naturally, Polk's woofer has a lot to do,
XT (HCC #330) are all about a ordability reaching up to the small mid-range units and
dropping down to accentuate low-end sound
and crowdpleasing sonics, and its soundbars elements. In truth, it doesn't go that deep,
but in the areas that it does patrol it sounds
understand that not everyone is seeking a powerful, speedy and well-balanced, as
evidenced by Collateral's nightclub shootout.
model to complement a 65in TV. None more As always, position it as close to the 'bar
as possible for the best sense of integration.
so than its new MagniFi Mini AX.
Treble details are well presented, giving
An upgrade on Polk's earlier MagniFi Mini, a crisp, clean sound to the e ects-packed
soundtrack of Wall-E (Blu-ray). The clicks and
this combines an almost unbelievably pings of our robot hero, and his metal chums,
are always pleasing on the ear.
compact soundbar enclosure with a larger,
It’s the MagniFi Mini AX's mid-band
but still not particularly bothersome, presence that's the main weakness. Get to
the point where the subwoofer is no longer
subwoofer. The system arrives in the sort helping out and dialogue and music elements
can sound a little dry. And while the Voice
of box you might normally find an AV receiver. Adjust tool can help improve intelligibility,
it can't do the same for tonality.
Its target environment is any room that's
This also means that music replay is
in need of a sonic boost. The soundbar most enjoyable when there's a rhythm
section that needs a good kicking. This
measures just 36cm wide and 10cm compact two-piece array sounds tight
and dynamic with pop and electronica,
deep, meaning it should slot and holds its own at high volumes. I wouldn't
recommend it for critical listening of your
easily into any TV cabinet, or on classical music collection, however.

a shelf. The sub is an upright Flatscreen flayer

design, its 5in x 7in woofer Built to an obvious brief, Polk's latest 'Mini'
model is brilliantly small, but can sound
mounted on its underside. impressively big. Connectivity is spot on, and it
will knock your TV speakers into a cocked hat.
The soundbar features five It has a premium price attached though, and it
lacks a bit of focus between bass and treble ■
drivers (two tweeter and three
VERDICT
mid-rangers), arranged in a front
Polk MagniFi Mini AX
and side-firing config. Yet there's also
➜ £429 ➜ www.polkaudio.com
Dolby Atmos and DTS:X decoding, with the
WE SAY: Well-suited to a bedroom, den or
MagniFi Mini AX using DSP to strive for an compact TV unit, this bar performs far better
than you might expect given the size.
immersive performance. Flavours are Movie,

Music, 3D and Night.

Then there's Polk's Voice Adjust tech, optical digital audio, and onboard Wi-Fi
introduces AirPlay, Chromecast and Spotify
which not only allows for a separate boost of Connect. Bluetooth is another wireless option.
A USB socket is for firmware updates only.
the centre channel in a multichannel mix, but
Making space
aims to enhance dialogue and vocal clarity
This system's sound performance is really
from stereo content. Polk says this means enjoyable, but does bump up against some
limitations.
you'll no longer
If the intention is to engineer a room-filling
AV INFO mishear General sound from a really small enclosure, then Polk
Jan Dodonna saying should be satisfied. Somewhere between its
DSP and angled drivers, the MagniFi Mini
PRODUCT: 'May the horse AX creates an impressively wide soundfield,
Ultra-compact be with you', and especially in the 3D preset. The street and
soundbar system it works quite well. building environments in Michael Mann's
with virtual Atmos Collateral (Sky Cinema) are given a nice sense
At £429, the of space and positional detail. Atmos content
POSITION: MagniFi Minx AX is also sounds suitably expansive, albeit without
Polk's smallest premium for its size.
soundbar option Yet that outlay does
get you a decent
PEERS: haul of features.
LG QP5 Eclair; Connections include
Denon Home Sound
Bar 550

HDMI eARC and

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

SSP from

“Ultimate Range” Only £1,416.00

of Tab Tensioned In-ceiling Screens

For when only the best will do ... Imagine if .....

* You had a screen that was almost invisible to
YLVLWRUV XQWLO LQ XVH :KHQ \RX ¿QLVK YLHZLQJ
WKH WUDS GRRU FORVHV PDJLFDOO\ WR KLGH WKH IDEULF

,I WKH PRWRU DQG WKH VWUXFWXUH ZDV GHVLJQHG WR

be whisper quiet.

,I WKH VFUHHQ ZDV DEOH WR GURS GRZQ

automatically when you turn on your projector.

,I WKH IDEULF ZDV RQH RI WKH EHVW LQ WKH EXVLQHVV
IRU . SURMHFWLRQ JLYLQJ YLEUDQW FRORXU ZLWK D
SHUIHFWO\ ÀDW VRIW WHQVLRQHG VXUIDFH

,I WKH SURGXFW KDG D \HDU FRPSUHKHQVLYH

warranty.

Dreams are now
reality!

$YDLODEOH IRU QH[W GD\ GHOLYHU\
IURP PDQ\ TXDOLW\ UHWDLOHUV DQG
GLVWULEXWRUV LQ 8. DQG ,UHODQG

www.Sapphireav.com QR

Code

60 TCL 65C835K/£1,199

1

JUSTICE

IS SERVED

Bruce Wayne has
a killer to catch in

The Batman on
4K BD p88

TCL’s latest Mini LED flatscreen delivers a big improvement on
what’s come before, reckons John Archer

Welcome to the
pleasure zones

While LG, Philips, Sony and, especially, Samsung like While this TV's predecessor model, the C825K (HCC
to act as if they’re the originators of Mini LED, it was #322), impressed across most of Europe, its use of an older
actually TCL that truly pioneered it as a consumer software platform to accommodate local smart features
technology. As a result, the 65C835K is the brand's made the UK version disappointing by comparison, not to
third generation of TV to o er Mini LED’s combination mention some odd specification shortfalls that weren't an
of smaller LEDs powered by more local dimming zones, issue across the channel. This year, however, TCL is keen
while everyone else is only on round two at best. to stress the 65C835K is every bit as fulsomely specified
as its European sibling – and with a surprisingly a ordable
price of £1,199, this has the potential to make it one of
2022’s biggest TV bargains to date.

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

REVIEWS 61

2 Smarts have also been uprated. Now governed by AV INFO
Google TV, the TCL includes support for Google Home,
The first thing you'll notice once you've wrangled this Amazon Alexa, Apple Homekit, AirPlay 2, Chromecast and PRODUCT:
65-incher from its box is that it looks decently premium Miracast. Among the video apps are Netflix, Prime Video, 65in 4K TV with
without rewriting the design rule book. Gone is the slender YouTube, Disney+, Apple TV, ITV Hub and My5, but not QLED panel and
open desktop stand, now replaced by a centrally attached (yet, at least) All4 or BBC iPlayer. Previously TCL o ered Mini LED lighting
support that's attractively finished and feels more robust. the Freeview Play bouquet, but this appears to have been POSITION:
The screen’s frame is deliciously slim, and while the set lost amidst the move to pan-European uniformity. One below the top
is a little chunkier round the back than some rivals, this of TCL’s latest UK
is a common finding with TVs that place their LED arrays Bright pupil TV range
directly behind the screen. PEERS:
The 65C835K’s 65in panel is divided into 288 separate Samsung
'There’s scarcely any dimming zones (the 55in model gets 240). That's not as QE65QN90B;
blooming at all, which is high a number as found on Samsung’s flagship Mini LED Philips 65PML9636;
impressive considering how sets, and falls well short of the 1,920 in TCL's higher-spec Hisense 65A9GTUK
bright the image can get' 65in C935K. That said, this system still o ers substantially
more illumination precision than the vast majority of TVs 1. TCL is now onto its
There's no ‘soundbar’ running along the bottom edge employing conventional LEDs. third generation
of the frame (an embellishment now reserved for TCL’s of Mini LED TV
flagship C935K model), but you do still get a Dolby Two things struck me right away as I settled down to 2. A central stand
Atmos-capable 2.1-channel speaker system, designed see what the TV's improved Mini LED configuration could extends front and
in partnership with audio brand Onkyo. do. First, the image is phenomenally bright for such an back to support the
a ordable model. In fact, I measured light output at TV's 19.2kg chassis
Making the connection almost 1,300 nits on a 10 per cent white HDR window, 3. For this year's 8
which really is exceptional for a £1,200 65-incher. Series model, TCL
Last year's C825K disappointed in terms of connectivity has increased the
because none of its three HDMIs supported the full set of Second, black levels are far better than TCL's previous number of dimming
v2.1 features. This situation has thankfully been resolved, Mini LED, diving deeper while retaining a more neutral tone zones to 288
with four HDMI inputs, two of which handling 4K at 120Hz, and – even better – being polluted by much less backlight
variable refresh rates and automatic low latency mode blooming. In fact, viewed head-on, there’s scarcely any
switching. In fact, the VRR skillset even includes the AMD blooming at all, which is impressive considering how
FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync variations, while bright the image can get.
the refresh rate support
actually runs to 144Hz. HIGHLY

I also measured lag in the 3 RECOMMENDED

TV’s Game Master Pro
mode to be a very
respectable 17ms or so
with 4K/60Hz sources
– and this more than
halves with 120Hz feeds.

There’s a dedicated
Game Bar menu for quick
access to gaming info
and adjustments, and
the TV is Google Stadia
certified. Another new
trick is IMAX Enhanced
certification, although of
more importance is TCL's
continued embrace of
a wide range of HDR
flavours, including the
premium Dolby Vision and
HDR10+ formats. A built-in
sensor also enables Dolby Vision IQ,
where Dolby Vision playback is adjusted for
di erent room lighting conditions.

AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

62 REVIEWS

SPECIFICATIONS

4K: Yes. 3,840 x 2,160 HDR: Yes. HDR10; HDR10+; HLG; Dolby Vision TUNER: Yes.

4 Freeview HD; satellite HD CONNECTIONS: 4 x HDMI inputs; 2 x USB; Ethernet; optical

digital audio output 4K/120 PLAYBACK: Yes SOUND (CLAIMED): 2 x 15W + 30W sub
BRIGHTNESS (CLAIMED): 1,500 nits ('peak') CONTRAST RATIO (CLAIMED): N/A
DIMENSIONS (OFF STAND): 1,447(w) x 838(h) x 53(d)mm WEIGHT (OFF STAND): 19.2kg

FEATURES: Wi-Fi; Bluetooth; Mini LED lighting with 288 dimming zones; Game Bar;
VRR (including AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync); ALLM; Onkyo-designed sound
system; Dolby Atmos decoding; Google TV; Quantum Dot colour; AiPQ 2.0 picture
processing engine; Amazon Alexa support

TESTED WITH

IT: The first part of Andy Muschietti’s
adaptation of Stephen King’s
enormously popular novel is a cracking
ghost train ride, barrelling from one
scary set-piece to another with barely
a moment to catch your breath.
Bold daylight scenes and ultra-dark
interiors make it a demo-worthy
4K Blu-ray, too.

Just occasionally the very darkest sequences in horror mapping system, while e ective in most ways, 4. An ultra-slim, dark
film It (4K Blu-ray) can generate faint and fairly small seems to cause black levels to rise a little in some grey bezel gives the
clouds in areas of shadow detail, such as the sewer wells circumstances, and upscaled HD images don’t look TV a premium feel
when Patrick Hockstetter has his run in with Pennywise.
For the most part, though, the 65C835K’s backlighting 5 quite as crisp and natural as those from the AI-inspired 5. Side-facing inputs
falls only marginally short of that of far more expensive include v2.1 HDMIs
Mini LED rivals, and can be considered ridiculously good processing systems delivered by Philips, Samsung, supporting next-gen
for the price. LG and Sony. gaming features

HDR colour performance is also excellent. Saturations For the money, however, none of the 65C835K’s
are deep and diverse enough to rival the results delivered picture niggles really amount to much. And it even
manages to partner its brilliantly bold pictures with
'The C835K's inherent
brightness gives colours an an above-par audio performance.
extra level of punch beyond The Onkyo-designed speaker system has a
the capabilities of OLED'
good sense of power and clarity, pumping out
by today’s OLED TVs, and therefore do great justice to the dense Dolby Atmos soundtrack moments, such
deliberately slightly over-saturated daytime exterior shots as the attack by Pennywise on the 'Loser’s Club'
in It, such as the fairground scene during Derry Carnival. in Bill’s garage, with excellent levels of volume
Moreover, the C835K's inherent brightness gives vibrant and openness. It also delivers this suitably large
colours an extra level of punch beyond the current soundscape without succumbing to distortion,
capabilities of OLED technology, and TCL’s improved or falling away when the going gets really tough.
dynamic tone mapping is on hand to ensure The 65C835K's sound just keeps growing and
bright areas of colour – even white highlights expanding as a soundmix grows and expands.
– don’t clip out subtle details.
Dialogue is always clear and feels like a natural
Cinematic experience extension of the wider mix, and although bass

The picture looks consistently sharp and detailed, and gets levels are more limited than I’d hoped –
plenty of cinematic mileage out of It's 4K transfer without given the size of the bass driver located on
TCL's picture processing causing any sense of artifice. A the TV’s rear – the low-end performance
little softness can sneak in during tracking shots, but this is always sounds well-balanced.
pretty subdued for such an a ordable TV. Also, while TCL’s
motion processing causes too much smoothness and Welcome to the big leagues
some artefacts if you stick with its highest blur and judder
settings, it works quite well when it’s toned down a bit. The 65C835K is the first TV from TCL that enables UK
buyers to share the excitement of those in the US and
There are areas where the 65C835K doesn’t quite hit Europe about the brand’s TV talents. It’s not only in a
the heady heights of today’s flagship models. Colours di erent league to its (UK market) predecessor, but is so
appear much more nuanced and subtle than they did good for its money that it feels like TCL has just lobbed a
on its predecessor, but there's still not quite the same (welcome) grenade into what was already an aggressively
refinement, especially in skin tones and heavily saturated competitive mid-range TV landscape ■
areas, that premium TVs provide. The dynamic tone
VERDICT

TCL 65C835K

➜ £1,199 ➜ www.tcl.com/uk

WE SAY: This 4K Mini LED TV is a real head-turner from TCL,
o ering a level of AV specification and performance that feels
way beyond its price point. The UK finally gets all the treats too.

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

REFERENCE SUBWOOFER
PERFORMANCE HITS
ALL-TIME VALUE HIGH

SVS SB-1000 Pro
Best
Value

Subwoofer

2021

From

£639

The new 1000 Pro Series subwoofers upgrade their predecessors
with breathtaking low frequency output and proprietary features
ǔȸȒȅ Ɏǝƺ ˿ƏǕɀǝǣȵ ȅȒƳƺǼɀ٫

àǣɀǣɎ ǸƏȸȅƏ‫ٮ‬ƏɮِƬȒِɖǸ ǔȒȸ ǔɖȸɎǝƺȸ ǣȇǔȒȸȅƏɎǣȒȇ ƏȇƳ ǔɖǼǼ ɀȵƺƬǣˡƬƏɎǣȒȇɀٌ

64 LOEWE KLANG BAR5MR & SUB5/£1,600
The German company's Dolby Atmos soundbar system wants
to give Mark Craven a taste of the high life

A whole lotta
Loewe

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

REVIEWS 65

The alpha male of Loewe's Klang family of multiroom audio AV INFO
hardware, the Bar5mr – and its bundled partner in crime, the
Sub5 – looks to cover all bases. There's wireless and wired PRODUCT:
connectivity aplenty, surround expansion with optional rears, Premium soundbar/
and native Dolby Atmos and DTS:X playback. subwoofer combi
with multichannel
All that explains, in part, the premium £1,599 price The feature spec of the system is on the money. For potential
tag – as does the fact that German manufacturer Loewe physical hardware hookup, there are twin HDMI inputs, POSITION:
deliberately targets the high-end market. It may no longer plus an HDMI eARC connection, with support for Loewe's sole
have its own boutique retail outlets, following a period of passthrough of 4K HDR sources including Dolby Vision soundbar model
brand reorganisation, but still has an air of class about it. and HDR10+. An optical digital audio input is a legacy PEERS:
fallback, and there's USB too, for listening to MP3 audio. Samsung
As does this soundbar/subwoofer combi, which graces Why anyone would do this when the soundbar supports HW-Q990B;
your room with dark grey fabric-wrapped grilles and smart Apple AirPlay, Chromecast and DTS Play-Fi is beyond me. Devialet Dione
metal bodywork, and takes the design of a subwoofer into
a new direction with a cylindrical chassis that perhaps A final spec hit is the ability to link the soundbar with 1. At 1.2m wide, the
resembles a robot vacuum cleaner on steroids. other Klang series speakers for an authentic multichannel Klang Bar5mr is a
setup. Here Loewe suggests adding two (as rear match for TVs 55in
Pick a preset surrounds) or a single unit for a rear centre. These and above
speakers, sold separately, can also be used in a multiroom 2. The clutter-free
But first the soundbar. This is a fairly large (1.2m) design ripe audio system. remote o ers bass/
for pairing with a largescreen TV yet slim enough (7.1cm) treble adjustment
to probably fit neatly beneath one. Its cabinet is quite deep, ‘Mummy’s very angry’ plus keys for preset/
though, providing ample space for Loewe's pair of upfiring playback modes
Dolby Atmos units. There are also side-firers, plus front Loewe's soundbar and sub have a sound that scales well,
firers, for a claimed 5.1.2 layout once the Sub5 is in play. hitting appreciably potent levels without distortion 2
become a bugbear. Indeed, I found it pays to play it loud
Atop the bar are slim control buttons for power, source too, as there’s a sense that the 'bar wakes up a bit more,
and volume, but the supplied remote is a better option, not sounding less polite and more dynamic as you do so.
least because this lets you cycle through presets (speech,
classical, pop, music, film and o ) and playback options A highlight of its performance is the dissemination
(Surround, Stereo and Panorama). Actually, this can of treble details, which are sharply etched. The RV
become a little confusing, particularly as neither the sequence in The Lost World: Jurassic Park (Sky Cinema)
supplied quick start manual or online manual go into is awash with crisp Foley, be it Je Goldblum’s breath,
detail about the settings. And one bit of housekeeping the patter of outside rain or the rattle of metal. When
I would suggest is turning on the full display, which by Julianne Moore lies on the breaking glass – all that’s
default only shows volume, input and mode changes. Hold between her and a dinosaur dinner – the Klang really
down the 'Night' button on the handset for a few seconds digs into the sharp, cracking sounds, resulting in a suitably
and the 'bar will now report on the flavour of input signal nerve-wracking listening experience. Meanwhile, the
(including Dolby Atmos, Dolby Surround and Dolby Audio T-Rex’s size and roars are denoted by some almighty,
from your bitstreams). weighty throbs from Loewe’s woofer that really help sell
the drama of the scene.
Loewe's subwoofer uses two 6in active drivers, plus
four passive radiators, arranged in a hexagonal layout Occasionally, the Klang's succinct delivery seemed to
around its circumference. A groove on the underside is bleed into dialogue reproduction, meaning Goldblum and
provided to fit the power cable neatly away, and there's Vince Vaughn's chatter felt a tad thin. Using the remote's
a volume knob on its rear, which doubles as a manual treble/bass adjustments can tweak the overall response,
but the impact made here is marginal. I'd always also
pairing key should it not prefer dialogue with clarity than obvious boom and
automatically sync with bloom, though.
the Klang bar.
Zack Snyder's Justice League (4K Blu-ray) doesn't find
1 too much in the way of tangible Atmos e ect placement

to be dazzled by, more of a sense of swirling
surround. Whatever DSP Loewe is
applying to give its height
and surround

'The T-Rex’s size and roars
are denoted by some
almighty, weighty throbs
from Loewe’s woofer'

AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

66 REVIEWS

3 SPECIFICATIONS

DRIVE UNITS: 2 x height drivers; 2 x side-firing surrounds; 4 x front-firing ONBOARD
POWER (CLAIMED): 400W (incl. sub) CONNECTIONS: 2 x HDMI inputs; 1 x HDMI eARC
connection; optical digital audio input; USB; 3.5mm audio input DOLBY ATMOS/
DTS:X: Yes/Yes SEPARATE SUBWOOFER: Yes – Sub5 with 2 x bass drivers and 4 x
passive radiators REMOTE CONTROL: Yes DIMENSIONS (SOUNDBAR): 1,200(w) x 71(h)
x 160(d)mm WEIGHT (SOUNDBAR): 6.5kg

FEATURES: Treble/bass adjustment; Speech, Classical, Pop, Film and Music presets;
Surround and Panorama playback modes; Night mode; Wi-Fi; DTS Play-Fi; AirPlay
2; Chromecast; Bluetooth; expandable to 7.1.2 via optional speakers; multiroom

TESTED WITH

channels a boost is done lightly. That said, this system's THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK:
handling of the film's histrionic soundtrack is a hoot – the This 1997 follow-up to Jurassic Park
Mother Boxes are accompanied by vibrating bass notes, su ers in comparison, but its darker
soundtrack swells are deeper still, the musical nature of tone and central role for Je Goldblum
the score is well conveyed and there's that great e ects make it always worth a watch – as
detail to boot. So in place of pin-point soundstaging you do the action set-pieces, which rank
get a more homogeneous, but still enjoyable, performance. among Spielberg's best. Pick it up on
Universal's 4K BD trilogy boxset for
The recommendation in Loewe's manual is to locate DTS:X audio.
the subwoofer near to your front wall, although with
woofers on all sides it's perhaps best not shoved in a speaker's lack of physical control buttons, and could irk
corner. During my audition I tried it in various positions, even the most experienced AV user. Still, once I'd managed
hoping I could tighten up integration with the soundbar; to pair the hardware and assign the channels, switched the
music listening found it sounding almost sluggish with soundbar to its 'Surround' mode, and figured out how
the bassline of Dire Straits' Money for Nothing (Brothers to independently set the volume of the surrounds via
in Arms, Tidal), seeming to miss a beat by a fraction of a Loewe's soundbar remote, the result was a more genuine
second. The performance with the title track was better, multichannel listening experience. The frantic, playful
the sub bringing a rich, chewy tone to the keyboard intro, sound design of The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl
yet the same somewhat disjointed nature was repeated (Netflix) benefitted from the addition of rear-of-house
across other material, and over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi speakers, as did the ...Justice League Atmos track.
connections. Perhaps a latency issue, it was far less
apparent with movie material. Rich fidelity

Wide-eyed Listening to this Klang soundbar/sub combi in full flow was
frequently a joy, particularly regards the rich fidelity and
Of the sound playback options, in my room, 'Panorama' expansive soundstage it brought to film and TV material.
was the more overt and enveloping, creating a wider- Design and connectivity are also excellent, although
feeling front soundstage. 'Surround', although usability could be improved – bouncing around between
recommended by Loewe for Dolby Atmos content, didn't presets in pursuit of the ideal performance can be a chore.
project as far into the room. The impact of the bar's other Adding optional rear speakers boosts the performance
DSP presets, which can be layered on top, are much more further, but at a considerable cost when compared to
subtle. There was little to make the 'Classical' 'Music' or bundled soundbar systems from some rivals ■
'Pop' flavours my go-to option with music, for example,
VERDICT
Expanding the system with a pair of Klang wireless
rears (the £299 – each – mr1 models, in my case) involves Loewe Klang Bar5mr & Sub5
a complicated setup process that's not helped by the
➜ £1,599 ➜ www.loewe.tv
4
WE SAY: A refined, evocative listen with movie soundtracks and
smartly styled, but Loewe's multiroom-ready soundbar system
would benefit from easier operation. Premium price too.

3. Both the Klang
soundbar and sub
feature 'basalt grey'
fabric grilles

4. Connections
(and pairing keys for
external speakers)
are located behind
a pop-o rear cover

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

INTRODUCING THE

MIGHTY MICRO

The SVS 3000 Micro is a lifestyle-friendly
ɀɖƫɯȒȒǔƺȸ ɎǝƏɎ ƬƏȇ ˡɎ Əȇɵɯǝƺȸƺ ƏȇƳ ɀɎǣǼǼ
deliver a reference listening experience.

“...mixes control and subtlety with brute force when
needed. Factor in the affordable price tag and it’s a
clear category winner.”

EISA COMPACT SUBWOOFER 2021-2022

àǣɀǣɎ ǸƏȸȅƏ‫ٮ‬ƏɮِƬȒِɖǸ ǔȒȸ ǔɖȸɎǝƺȸ ǣȇǔȒȸȅƏɎǣȒȇ ƏȇƳ ǔɖǼǼ ɀȵƺƬǣˡƬƏɎǣȒȇɀٌ

68 EPSON EH-LS12000B/£4,499

1

HIGHLY

Epson's laser-lit RECOMMENDED
all-rounder

Among the new tricks of the projector specialist's latest top-flight '4K Enhancement' model are
HDR10+ support and HFR playback. Steve Withers puts it to the test with movies and games

AV INFO EPSON WAS THE first brand to offer a serious laser- the DCI-P3 wide colour gamut, allowing it to hit an
powered projector at an affordable price with the EH- impressive 98 per cent coverage. The EH-LS12000
PRODUCT: LS10000 in 2015 (HCC #247). That model remained its drops the filter, which results in brighter HDR but reduces
HDR/4K-capable LCD premium home cinema beamer for years, but finally we coverage to 88 per cent. Colours are therefore less
projector with laser have a replacement in the shape of the EH-LS12000. saturated, but many people probably won’t notice.
light source
In reality, this new projector is more of an upgraded A final difference that’ll come as a disappointment to
POSITION: EH-TW9400 (see HCC #301), as opposed to a direct anyone who enjoys venturing into the third dimension is
Top-tier model in evolution of the EH-LS10000. For a start, the latter used that the EH-LS12000 doesn’t support 3D. Although given
Epson’s home LCoQ, which was Epson’s version of the LCoS technology TV brands dropped the format years ago, and new content
cinema lineup employed by Sony and JVC, whereas the EH-LS12000 is rarer than hen’s teeth, it’s not a complete surprise.
employs the more traditional three-chip LCD approach
PEERS: found in the EH-TW9400. B is for brighter?
BenQ W5700;
Optoma UHZ65LV; This new unit also retains most of the EH-TW9400’s Otherwise this projector is business-as-usual, with Epson's
Sony VPL-VW290ES features, although there are a few major differences aside familiar curved chassis housing a central lens (which
from swapping the lamp for a laser. One is an updated appears to be identical to that of the EH-TW9400) and
version of Epson’s PRO-UHD pixel shifting tech to project forward-firing cooling grilles. The bodywork is solid, the
a 3,840 x 2,160 pixel image. It’s still not native 4K, but the styling simple but elegant, and the EH-LS12000 retains
perceived resolution is higher than the EH-TW9400. a motorised lens cover – a nice touch. There are still basic
Then there are the two upgraded HDMI inputs that support controls on the projector, but these have been moved to
eARC, HDR10+ and 4K/120Hz. The latter will, of course, be the rear, where you’ll also find all the connections.
of interest to gamers, who will also appreciate a measured
input lag of a sprightly 26ms. This unit's full model number is EH-LS12000B, with the
‘B’ su x denoting that it’s black. If you’d prefer white there’s
Epson's laser light source promises bright and punchy the EH-LS11000W, but be aware that projector has a
pictures due to a claimed 2,700 Lumens output, plus slightly lower claimed output of 2,500 Lumens (and retails
thousands of hours of watching time without worrying for around £300 less).
about the lamp dimming or needing to be replaced.
Setup is simplicity itself thanks to motorised lens
One interesting spec change concerns colour handling. controls and a generous 2.1x optical zoom, along with 10
The more affordable EH-TW9400 uses a filter to deliver lens memories for those rocking a ‘Scope screen. Epson has

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

REVIEWS 69

finally given the menu system a makeover too, with an SPECIFICATIONS
interface that looks slick and modern.
3D: No 4K: Yes. Via Epson's PRO-UHD 4K Enhancement method HDR: Yes. HDR10;
Key features include frame interpolation (handy for HLG; HDR10+ CONNECTIONS: 2 x HDMI inputs; Ethernet port; 3 x USB (one service
watching sports), and tools for setting the brightness of and one power only); 12V trigger; RS-232C BRIGHTNESS (CLAIMED): 2,700 Lumens
the laser from 50 to 100 per cent, and applying dynamic CONTRAST (CLAIMED): 2,500,000:1 ZOOM: 2.1x DIMENSIONS: 520(w) x 193(h) x
contrast to adjust the laser brightness depending on the 447(d)mm WEIGHT: 12.7kg
content. Various dynamic range controls, including sliders
for adjusting the tone mapping of HDR10, HLG and HDR10+ FEATURES: 3LCD projector; 20,000 hours claimed lifespan; 30dB max quoted fan
material, are worth exploring, because the EH-LS12000 isn’t noise; 1.35-2.84:1 throw ratio; vertical lens shift (+/-96.3 per cent); horizontal lens
a ‘set and forget’ HDR projector (although few are). You will shift (+/-47.1 per cent); 300in maximum image size; motorised lens and focus;
need to tweak the sliders depending on how content is 10-position lens memory; motorised lens cover; frame interpolation; ISF
graded – the higher the nits, the higher the setting. certification; HDMI with HDCP 2.2, eARC and 4K/120Hz

A full complement of calibration controls is on hand TESTED WITH
for image fine-tuning, but the Natural colour mode on my
audition sample proved extremely accurate out of the box, AMBULANCE: This new action-packed
with errors below the visible threshold. heist-gone-wrong thriller is an
adrenaline shot of unadulterated
Tasting notes ‘Bayhem’ that boasts picture and
sound to match. Crispy native 4K
Testing kicked off with the BD of Paul Thomas Anderson's visuals, stunning HDR, and ultra-
Liquorice Pizza, and the EH-LS12000 immediately dynamic Dolby Atmos sonics deliver
impressed with bright, accurate images. In general terms the pure demo heaven from beginning
picture appears free of any blemishes or optical aberrations, to end. See p86.
and the RGB convergence is precisely aligned. It isn’t as
sharp as a single-chip DLP beamer, but since the Epson To be fair, very few PJs handle HDR blacks well at this 1. Epson's lens
uses LCD chips, rather than a colour wheel, you don’t have price point, and certainly all the DLP models suffer similar features motorised
to worry about rainbows. Fan noise is also acceptable, limitations. It’s also worth remembering testing was in a 2.1x zoom and focus,
measuring 30dB with the laser output at 100 per cent. dedicated home cinema; if you’re using the Epson in a room with 10 settings
with lighter walls the contrast issues will be less obvious. memories available
Epson's picture processing upscales the 1080p signal to
perfectly match the projected 4K image, bringing out all the Super-smooth 2. The PJ has three
detail in the film’s early-1970s production design. When the USB ports, but one is
lead character opens his pinball parlour, the flashing lights An obvious competitor model is Sony's VPL-VW290ES, only for service and
and neon really pop, while flesh tones are balanced and a native 4K projector with 3D playback. Yet that has neither another provides
natural. The blacks and shadow detail are also nicely a laser light source nor support for HDR10+ and 4K/120Hz, 300mA power for
rendered, although as I’ll discuss in a moment, this isn’t and it’s the latter that makes the EH-LS12000 an an optical HDMI cable
the projector's strong point. interesting option for gamers. Call of Duty on the PS5 looks
fantastic with its big, bright HDR images and super-smooth
Ambulance (4K Blu-ray) packs a reference-quality 120Hz frame rates. The experience is responsive, the limited
picture, and the EH-LS12000 steps up to the plate in style. contrast is largely moot, and the laser’s long lifespan will
While this projector might not be as sharp as the best undoubtedly encourage marathon gaming sessions.
native 4K beamers, you’d be hard-pushed to spot any
difference most of the time, and the pixel-packed visuals So while Epson primarily markets the LS12000 as a
in this film certainly appear dazzlingly crisp, with facial home cinema machine, and in that regard it’s an impressive
close-ups looking especially refined. performer with bright, detailed and accurate images, it also
has wider appeal. When it comes to value-for-money, this
However, it’s the HDR performance that really sings, and projector is up there with the best ■
after a few tweaks on the slider the results were fantastic.
Since most of the action takes place on the sun-bleached VERDICT
streets of Los Angeles, those 2,700 Lumens really have a
chance to shine, and highlights often sparkle without Epson EH-LS12000B
clipping detail. The blacks also hold up well in this film,
mainly because there are very few dark scenes. ➜ £4,499 ➜ www.epson.co.uk

Colours still look wonderfully saturated, despite not WE SAY: An excellent home cinema projector with new, welcome
filling the DCI-P3 space, and motion handling is excellent features, plus the flexible, detailed setup options you'd expect
even without resorting to frame interpolation. Michael Bay’s at the price. Put it on your audition list!
constantly roving cameras and bonkers drone shots are all
handled with a judder-free smoothness. 2

Yet the EH-LS12000 is less impressive with dark HDR
scenes, easily demoed using Morbius (4K BD) and the early
sequence in a cave full of vampire bats. Here, the shadows
appear dark grey rather than black, plus it’s hard to make
out the detail of individual bats within the gloom.

Using the HDR slider can help, but there’s always a
trade-off: moving the slider down will bring out more detail
in the shadows, but weaken what blacks there are and
simultaneously clip the highlights. Conversely, move the
slider up and the detail in the highlights returns, as do the
blacks to a degree, but the shadows are crushed instead.

AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

70 WWW.CABASSE.COM/£2, 229

Cabasse SPECIFICATIONS
Pearl Keshi
DRIVE UNITS: 1 x 2in mid/tweeter (per
Great balls of fire! This 2.1 streaming system o ers a staggering satellite); 1 x 6.75in bass driver (subwoofer)
performance for its size, says Steve May ONBOARD POWER (CLAIMED): 1,050W
CONNECTIONS: Optical digital audio input;
analogue stereo minijack; microUSB;
Ethernet DOLBY ATMOS/DTS:X: No/No
SEPARATE SUB: Yes REMOTE CONTROL: Yes
DIMENSIONS: 100(w) x 80(w) x 80(d)mm
(satellites); 240(w) x 220(h) x 270(d)mm
(subwoofer) WEIGHT: 550g (per satellite);
6kg (subwoofer)

FEATURES: Works with Google Assistant;
Apple AirPlay; automatic calibration;
768kHz/32-bit DAC; Bluetooth; Wi-Fi ;
compatible with Cabasse StreamCONTROL
multiroom system; wall mountable

'Take me to your leader...'

THE COMPACT CABASSE Pearl Keshi is Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The system is Apple tangible raw power – claimed (Class D)
AirPlay capable, and can stream via UPnP. amplification is a monstrous 1,050W, with
a high-end 2.1 audio system with an enviable There’s no HDMI input though, which is a each satellite getting 300W. The system's
missed opportunity as the Pearl Keshi is easily weighty demeanour works well with Hans
sense of style. The spherical centrepiece, small enough to double as a TV sound system. Zimmer’s Time (Inception OST), the track
building remorselessly before easing back
which is ostensibly the system’s subwoofer The setup routine isn’t quite as slick as the for that poignant piano refrain. It's hard to
cosmetics. A puck-shaped Bluetooth remote believe these three small boxes can make
but is actually far more, has detailing that control needs to be paired with the main unit such huge, undistorted noise.
before you can connect the system to your
recalls Kylo Ren’s headgear (particularly if you smartphone. This remote is a nice bit of Perhaps the perfect showcase of the Pearl
industrial design, but actually a handful Keshi's sheer might is Teriyaki Boyz’ Tokyo
opt for the black version) The matte finish is to use. And if it drops its connection, you Drift, from the Fast & Furious flick of the same
need to up-end the sub and re-pair. name. The Cabasse drops big chunky bass
as classy as it is practical. beats, but doesn’t fumble the tinkling bells
I highly recommend installing the Pearl and cutesy chorus. The theme from Bad Boys
A pedestal stand de-couples this orb from Keshi with an Ethernet connection, as is similarly well served, its rolling reggae beat
everything seems to work better when wired. ideal for this party-loving system. Again, bass
your floor, and stops vibrations from travelling. levels are little short of miraculous.
A key part of setup is room calibration,
The two titchy, tethered satellite speakers powered by Cabasse's ARCS (Automatic It's also light on its pedestal feet, though.
Room Correction System) technology, during Kenny Loggins’ Danger Zone (from the Top
have matching silver trim. The system is which the Keshi optimises itself for your Gun OST) has real crunch and tight punchy
listening environment. Don’t skip this, as it’s drums, but also clean vocals, and some
small, innocuous even, but it sounds huge. crucial to coaxing the best from the sub and piercing guitar ri s. Similarly, the jangle pop
sats, and preventing bass from dominating. of Simon & Garfunkel's Mrs Robinson (The
Cabasse's sub is twice as heavy as the Graduate OST), is beautifully articulated,
The Cabasse app has integrated support with crisp treble placed atop plucky fretwork.
average bowling ball, at 6kg, but the two for a range of streaming services, plus a fistful
of EQ adjustments, but I reckon the default is Thrilling listen
satellites are a little just about perfect.
A gorgeous lifestyle audio system with a
AV INFO less hefty, at 550g. It’s There’s plenty to admire about the Pearl modest footprint and huge sense of flair,
easy to accidentally Keshi’s presentation, much of it related to its Cabasse's Pearl Keshi is also a thrilling listen,
with the ability to serve up seismic bass yet
PRODUCT: yank them o a shelf stay light and focused when required.
High-end 2.1 system when you’re tidying
with streaming away the cabling. I’m not a fan of the fancy remote, and the
integration lack of an HDMI input is weird. However, if you
Connectivity hides want high-end statement hi-fi with interiors
POSITION: behind the sub’s shiny style, you’ve come to the right place ■
Baby speakers of hoop stand. There’s
Cabasse's Pearl line microUSB, optical VERDICT
digital audio, analogue
PEERS: stereo minijack Cabasse Pearl Keshi
KEF LS50 Wireless II; and Ethernet to
Naim Mu-so 2; ➜ £2,229 ➜ www.cabasse.com
Sonus Faber Omnia
WE SAY: Pearl by name, and pearl by nature – this
supplement onboard pricey 2.1 system easily confounds expectations.
Bass forward but airy and crisp when needed.

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

It’s an incredible 50 years since Paul Lee-Kemp
launched a new breed of specialist hi-fi store,
starting out with one tiny shop in Sevenoaks.

THE EARLY YEARS

Our beginnings were modest! Back in 1972, Paul Lee-Kemp
(widely known as PLK), a 21-year-old who was fresh out of
university, had a desire to do something different for those
who loved music. With the help of a small loan from his
father, he opened his first Hi-Fi shop in Sevenoaks, Kent.
Soon, PLK was hunting for additional premises and along
with Peter O’Brien, who became a long standing, trusted
business partner, they opened the second Sevenoaks Hi-Fi
branch in Woolwich, South East London. By 1980, stores in
Chatham, Tunbridge Wells and Brighton had also opened,
with another four stores added by 1990.

WE OPEN OUR FIRST INTO THE 2000s
FRANCHISES
In the early 2000s, the company made some structural changes
It was in the mid-90s that the partners including changing the name to Sevenoaks Sound and Vision,
decided to accelerate our expansion so to reflect the importance of Vs and home cinema to the busi-
in 1995 they launched the Sevenoaks ness. In 2014 PLK took a back seat from the day-to-day running
franchise model, and the brand rapidly of the business, handing over to current Managing Director,
expanded with another 30 Sevenoaks Rob Lawley. Rob and his team continue to maintain the ethos
stores opening, stretching across the UK of fairness to all that has been there since day one and sets the
from Aberdeen to Plymouth. company apart from many of its competitors.

SEVENOAKS NOW

The early lessons have served us well and continue to do so. Our treatment of customers, partners, suppliers
and colleagues is renowned throughout the consumer electronics industry, and for all the right reasons. We
work hard at maintaining and improving our service to our customers while always remaining competitively
priced. Most importantly we are not sitting still! Our plan is to open more stores to provide our customers
with more choice, less travelling time, and tailor-made, informed, sensible advice, as well as continuing to
strive to make our online services and deliveries even quicker and slicker.

JOIN US FOR OUR 50TH CELEBRATIONS

This is a big year for us, it is a real milestone that very few in our industry can justifiably claim. So we
want to do something special for our customers throughout the year. We will be having events in store,
competitions and special offers; to keep up to date, just sign up to receive our newsletter.

SOME BRANDS/PRODUCTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE AT ALL STORES. SPECIAL OFFERS ARE NOT IN CONJUNCTION WITH ANY OTHER OFFER (NICWAOO). ADVERT VALID UNTIL 17/08/2022. E&OE

buyonline buybyphone click&collect www.ssav.com

www.ssav.com Call 0333 016 4775 Stores nationwide

NEW £1299 £1899

£5799

ARCAM • AVR31 • AV RECEIVER DENON • AVC-X3700H • AV AMPLIFIER MARANTZ • SR7015 • AV AMPLIFIER

With native 16-channel decoding of Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and 9.2-channel 8K AV amplifier with 180W per channel support- Enjoy exquisite video performance thanks to the latest HDMI
Auro-3D, the AVR31 can deliver incredible theatre experiences. ing Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, DTS Virtual:X and IMAX Enhanced. technologies such as 8K/60Hz pass-through or upscaling.

£2899 £1499 £3599

NAD • T 778 • AV RECEIVER YAMAHA • RX-A4A • AV RECEIVER YAMAHA • RX-A8A • AV RECEIVER

Dolby Atmos and BluOS enabled AV receiver with Hi-Res New 7.2 channel AV receiver featuring Surround:AI, New 11.2 Channel 8K AV Receiver with 150W per channel,
audio playback and 4K Ultra HD full support. Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, HDMI 7-in/3-out and more. incorporating cutting-edge components and technology.

BLUESOUND • PULSE SOUNDBAR+ SONOS • RAY • SMART SOUNDBAR SONY • HT-A7000 • SOUNDBAR £1299

Raise your expectations with the PULSE SOUNDBAR+, Enjoy the unmatched Sonos experience on WiFi, and stream Discover a whole new level of immersion.
the ultimate audiophile-grade soundbar for all your home audio directly from your smartphone, tablet, or computer The HT-A7000 envelops you in authentic
entertainment needs. Designed to seamlessly fit with your using Bluetooth. 7.1.2 channel surround sound with
multiple speakers, a built-in subwoofer
existing TV set-up and enhance the sound experience. and advanced audio technologies. Feel the
action happening above and all around
you. It’s like being right there in the scene.

£899 NEW £279 SONY • HT-A9 • HOME THEATRE SYSTEM
Feel sound from every direction and distance, even beyond
SENNHEISER • AMBEO • SOUNDBAR SONOS • ARC • SMART SOUNDBAR the boundaries of your room. With Sony’s unique 360 Spatial
Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar delivers an unparalleled sonic Bring all your entertainment to life with the extraordinarily Sound Mapping technology, the HT-A9 surround sound
experience creating an ‘as if there’ 3D spatial experience in realistic sound of Arc, the premium smart soundbar for TV, system immerses you, your family and friends in a multi-
immersive 5.1.4 sound. DSP technology allows just two front movies, music, gaming. Enjoy control with automatic remote dimensional experience like never before.
speakers to reproduce full, cinematic sound from all around sync, your voice, the Sonos app, Apple AirPlay 2, and more.
you, including from above. £1799

£2199 £899

MONITOR AUDIO
SILVER SERIES 7G

Now in its 7th generation, the Monitor Audio Silver Series embodies decades of
audio expertise. Thanks to a choice of real-wood veneers or beautifully painted and

finished cabinets, these speakers have a refined, understated look – the perfect
counterpoint to their bold, powerful sound. And with class-leading performance
through Monitor Audio’s latest metal coned drivers with Rigid Surface Technology II,
the music you love is more precise, with less distortion than ever. So even with the

volume pumped right up, the sound you hear couldn’t be clearer.

Silver 50 7G Bookshelf Speakers £599

Silver 100 7G Bookshelf Speakers £799

Silver 200 7G Floorstanding Speakers £1225

Silver 300 7G Floorstanding Speakers £1575

Silver 500 7G Floorstanding Speakers £1849

Silver C250 7G Centre Speaker £649

Silver FX 7G Surround Speakers £649

Silver AMS 7G Dolby Atmos Enabled Speakers £675

buyonline buybyphone click&collect

www.ssav.com Call 0333 016 4775 Stores nationwide www.ssav.com

NEW

QE65QN95B • 65” Neo QLED 4K UHD TV NEW

Samsung’s Flagship Neo QLED QE65QN95B 4K TV delivers XR-65A95K • 65” OLED 4K UHD TV
ultimate contrast, flawless colour and superb surround
sound. Day or night, experience pure 4K cinematic viewing Sony’s new OLED(QD-OLED) panel on the XR-65A95K
in perfect harmony with your home. delivers Sony’s brightest, widest OLED colours yet!
Combined with XR OLED Contrast Pro technology, this
Get an AI-enhanced cinematic 4K experience for everything TV delivers up to 200% as much colour brightness as
you watch. Every brilliant, glare-free detail comes to life in conventional OLED TVs. For full sensory immersion, the
superb 4K picture quality, thanks to Samsung’s all-mighty screen is the speaker. Acoustic Surface Audio+™ combines
AI-powered processor. 8 multi-directional TV speakers large actuators, as well as left and right subwoofers, for
deliver immersive 3D surround sound – powered by Dolby truly immersive audio that matches exactly what’s on
Atmos. All on an ultra-slim TV with tidy cables. screen. All your entertainment will even be upscaled to 3D
surround sound, without the need for additional speakers!
Also 55 75 85 FREE 5 YEAR
Available WARRANTY

NEW

OLED65C2 • 65” OLED 4K UHD TV FREE 5 YEAR Also Available
WARRANTY
The LG C2 Series OLED65C26LD 65” 4K self-lit OLED TV is 55
the pinnacle of technology. All of the screen’s pixels are self-lit
allowing for perfect contrast, 100% colour accuracy and the
sharpest pixel-perfect details, creating the ultimate viewing
experience. With the new OLED evo technology – comprising a9
Gen5 AI processor and Brightness Booster technology - you get
even more brightness and sharpness for true brilliance in clarity
of content. All in 4K Ultra HD definition.

Also 42 48 55 77 83 FREE 5 YEAR
Available WARRANTY

Panasonic NEW

TX-55LZ1500 • 55” 4K UHD OLED TV

4K OLED TV from Panasonic’s LZ1500 Series means NEW
cinematic pictures. The custom OLED screen makes sure
you won’t miss a thing in films and premium television. BILD i.55 DR+ • 55” OLED 4K UHD TV
HDMI 2.1 connectivity means smooth streaming that
puts you right in the middle of the action. Created by pro Introducing the new Loewe bild i. 55 DR+ 4K OLED TV. In
filmmakers, only Panasonic’s 4K OLED TV brings you a combination with the new Loewe SL7 chassis, the powerful
stunning picture that literally takes your breath away. With NT7 processor and the new Loewe os7 software, a perfect
3D surround sound to excite all the senses, it’s as if you’re viewing experience is guaranteed for a wide variety of content.
right there in the movie scene.

FREE 5 YEAR Also Available FREE 5 YEAR Also Available
WARRANTY WARRANTY
42 48 65 48 65

£999 £299 NEW
£999

PANASONIC • DP-UB9000 • 4K UHD BLU-RAY PLAYER SONY • UBP-X800M2 • 4K UHD BLU-RAY PLAYER SAMSUNG • THE FREESTYLE • PORTABLE LED PROJECTOR

4K UHD Blu-ray player supporting HDR10+, Dolby Vision HDR, Find yourself at the heart of every movie and series. 4K Meet The Freestyle - The Samsung Smart TV experience, with
Alexa and Google Assistant voice control (via a future software Ultra HD Blu-ray shows everything in finer detail than ever no boundaries. The portable smart projector to create the
ultimate cinema experience, wherever you are.
update), and 7.1 channel audio. before, so you feel like you’re seeing the real thing.

FOR THE LATEST PRICES AND OFFERS VISIT WWW.SSAV.COM OR CONTACT YOUR LOCAL STORE

Brighton 01273 733338 Guildford 01483 536666 Reading• 01189 477093 Read the Anniversary DEFINITIVE DO1boZ9rfE7iNl2tliiCmawLnAaetSsSaaIanClbdgAuLramBerUaesMtawSyvAeeaSarieYrlaOfrbUoelrCleeOmatUosLuDelsNidis’c.tTeH–HneESAretReov’TesHinnEooMhuaBirk-AprsCeiKwcsIkaNosonTHffTEo1iD2udAnatYlhdaeandt dsatnTilidldsastloaMnmadasttnheyerstest
Bristol• 0117 974 3727 Holborn• 020 7837 7540 Sevenoaks 01732 459555 edition of
Bromley 020 8290 1988 Kingston• 020 8547 0717 Solihull 0121 709 0606
" #
Cambridge 01223 304770 Loughton 020 8532 0770 Swiss Cottage 020 7722 9560 SEVENOAKS
Chalfont St Peter• 01753 255110 Maidstone 01622 686366 Tunbridge Wells 01892 531543 Neil Young Big Star
Chelsea 020 7352 9466 Manchester 0161 834 0267 Wetherby 01937 586886 SELECT HNtEahJaaesmalaansisrcdlnoovedkYdkvneitiosiNnctshnuicttiategtenollzuldDgasyidt’ccatsseaoomhsbhucehaeilsoteuagstusrisntecon-ihdnkiDtlngrnoaiyon.lmorenccrwoeehlHuncne–dektsaaeYtflrrrsoboeatruuTctoifhmonofrerginG,ed’Nsn,obidelytdse.dle #TBawhu1atilpegopthRmeoa,efSenwdiRnartctsseasaiEootsrrdoM,-nriaifpv#dolIieRobn1rCpuieiRcntimithbksefyleasecu.bnunoIUeytdebrn’Kdssdcac.ucagieintklotsoewtteUnhrimm-teSwRhoil.nijatrEeaahet.lnMedlegri‘nfle7aeogc0nrlolssdor,,dw-–
Cheltenham• 01242 241171 Nottingham 0115 988 1703 Witham (Essex) 01376 501733 Curtis Mayfield
Epsom• 01372 720720 Oxford 01865 241773 Yeovil• 01935 700078 digital interactive STaBnhbuwnsBlaelpadaaamexmterhtahpiehrnspgil.ergotFludCieielsbitdoytaoaraBoltuabbrilosn.oyuoysTdnmesrhtagvfretniaaeboldmnctryyiTk,tbCohlmoeltneuifosoetrtNtrotahefaiodsrercotyiMnkosmsgarhaitmoTraywiuhfsneaiseegbhlsBe-d,.eIn.G.
magazine today! STEHANSENOSDSTUACHNTTEEIDHONSENE,SSISSUE 21 THE SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY ISSUETEAiohnPxtsglshoieadoblpeefre-ulttRrfubbalttaoyeiheowasnnsirslhgnol,eleiifgMincocymnFgonooearguereulamdienndrnnSegttarcrdrtaoSsooeyontcfco,,tentkkginalrtsyepo’‘masnsisowe’ppmafcafreenoesotrlstolfbtalieeo.hin–dlcnead.tttihsfngtoteaoutrksohdeodeiosu, nind
NPSa–sisitcbtnct2aitrouunhrkak5utdkgicssiMeiyDkaottesr’nirs-woctaasadrlroaaoigbskphnsnubupeaagieumetfuwatasdneuerbr-triddtayitniDeonfotgurwrdhnali–ensokran,ejvetutr’Vce’thassorWgaitdrrdnidduvcea.obeaadBTibatnchhriesednie,tyd,iaf1stli9pignihtsi9elaatefdl9enonol2–k,6.R‘NRaIboFteloYsbseadcdvooouscoeuunttemSnhrlgssWfttesuo-A,aeleIlni–iMw’nkDadrgaseeorasuRnadsI,Trltddao’llrtiWuitumkMtnhehsegeeeioeBsltrodlmohlGifaufesttenooethoshdn,Bwmneetthelhaciarinegaslokadsgfefss.opetusglhyribkircenreylmiogbampclt.oukepee, sro’sf

TTAfaoshoPrglToWgwlbearkhnueunneiLgsaalmclae,itbsihne,t,tosloghymetnNheeVagtoGerihnasM-ulwesrdsnireoenoantLxnancrZsfeoiugltcacaufulwtaTonndbyMnrvdoe,ldieetaswbwMtedrrahehrinaen’UdiisesccrdSlahhgsiestsirichVgeHbboaaanaarausatdalngelnstuasgstusZoderat.rymater-dnbe.ydt DTaTshhafhnDtbieieacvesdordrteiRoaa(igdtonmtlleihtbncssBe.ae,uhaerWntolemh,Se)adwh,bigpnstiaiioithsndimie’,dassegZtFx,egaliuabmirgltcaaaslgtalomlemyfdonarr,eScflraoitoeetZnBhmacpndiaorkgtdnwrsMgrowukteiycaesiacytkctSohroak–ssrutagdtha,aaedemarrndae.baurlouk’iaunsmtet ! SMMbpwtiwesWueuejiagrthssveizhhiioiinxizclecedetsnynroy,ioaSaWnfndIofnugMtNerodhMpdsoeynsepsifeyn.rdeMiSwdLtaeMeeoetriosnyervdiimdtvhenesYiiaeldmmHoebnWucaiate(t)vrtWrokxeiionsnpsrhngsdelteiwaehcrYriireeemdof’esubuWetnacnAlkcelytar,krirosneiucasgYn.incoddu, VSIMltwaooa’WwscafntiitonnhnhJthnaMo’ioetscctsnt’lDhhockocreYiioevrwloeoaergmsuasuiWuaassssirpnbSnoiidwlceeomseinrrcsuoadbiis’tnltl,sbte,oieiSuti)nnPsn.,maefIaregitadenoscosk,dvftr(iiabgIci‘ot’VeuemkhsuawotstesnruItoentphstifatoeh.fHmlrpeeieen-t’asosrsovfataeuycnllke, VTIrrfCaheRehRysglreayeiooiigflmvauofHuade’l’snulneraeryesdaslarciWtlvdlTlor.AoaeoaeamIonlrtcnyrC’kdtpkstiirTY.indsokalhoHagestliucbtesseeifkuoy.opCasmOnrlaClty,snaansotosrnehtoGmpseeeofieidrnsfenaittsgtlbtuIlhehtsyatneiIistlJftmhgiiMmiYaesreloea.mmtaunhtyyoeevsitng,
Lou Reed
FHOTSOSRHHIMUNAAIPE-CNFLPECLKIOAI1YNRY9NOTEO7DUMU2RATMwNhrwpDaaaseerhdstrwnaoaeieycslsr,aYthfi–lliinooiidtkniulrnrLaeekdtmcoti-.oeWolunRuwerndpdaermnoaleieknnnousddOnrtb’rsdheunoteebfhtrerTaeenesrhlsoeadbetsmnuaebsWcncxeyoedk,insaolssadgfttnBlsroiScdkeBahideedCPratreeiserutai,rgtolfylsef-.,ct

• THESE STORES ARE FRANCHISED AND OPERATE UNDER A LICENCE AGREEMENT TO SEVENOAKS SOUND & VISION. www.ssav.com/select READ
VISIT WWW.SSAV.COM FOR STORE ADDRESSES, OPENING HOURS AND BRANDS STOCKED.
FREE



TV, WIRELESS, STREAMING, TURNTABLES, SPEAKERS, HEADPHONES, RECOMMENDED SYSTEMS, ALL-IN-ONE & MORE

Please Note: Some brands/products are not available at all stores. Special/
added value offers are not in conjunction with any other offer (NICWAOO).

ADVERT VALID UNTIL 17/08/2022. E&OE

IZk bSk _a`fZ^k Xad FH
kag US` iSfUZ Xad XdWW1

Kagd egTeUd[bf[a` XdWW eWf fab Taj bSĒ`Wd Xad ahWd $' kWSde

Entertainment shouldn’t cost the earth, especially when over 95% of the UK’s favourite TV is available for free.
With the ongoing shift towards streaming, we’ve taken digital content to the next level. Our Freeview Play models
now give you access to more than 40,000 hours of TV and 700+ box sets on demand – all at no extra cost.

Looking for more? We have the only Freeview Play recorder in the UK powered by Android TV. Whether catching
up on favourite dramas or downloading recordings to watch on the go, the Humax Aura 4K Recorder has you
covered. With 4K HDR10 support, Dolby Audio and a quad-core processor, Aura is also future-proofed – so take
FEGO GSRXVSP ERH WXIT E[E] JVSQ PIRKXL] Ƽ\IH GSRXVEGXW ERH QSRXLP] WYFWGVMTXMSRW

AWARD 2021 AWARDS 2020/21 Humax Aura WINNER
Best PVR
Humax Aura Best PVR Trade? Call: 0208 326 6009
HUMAX 2021
AURA

uk.humaxdigital.com | humaxdirect.co.uk

Additional subscriptions may be required. Features outlined are subject to change at any time without notice. The FREEVIEW words and logos are trademarks of DTV Services LTD. © DTV Services Ltd. Channel content, logos and
application logos are trademarks and copyright of their respective owners. © 2022 Humax Electronics Co. Ltd.

OPINION 75

8K TVs have been around for years now, but the technology appears to be of little interest to
the telly-buying public. Considering the drought of actual content, Mark Craven isn't surprised

SAMSUNG'S QE75QN900B IS a belter of a TV. receivers that label their HDMI 2.1 inputs '8K', which Mark Craven
Our cover star last issue, this 8K resolution, 75in makes it sound like a thing when it really isn't.
statement set will put a smile on any AV-holic's will be the first to
face with its class-leading HDR picture performance 8K Blu-ray? Don't bet on it say '8K is great' if
and innovative, 'object tracking' sonics. But, anyone can release
arguably, what's least exciting about it is the fact Where might 8K resolution material actually appear the complete works
it's an 8K model. from in the future? Broadcast TV is a no-no, not of Jason Statham
least because some channels are still being aired in
I am regularly questioned by friends and family standard-definition. A physical media format also in 7,680 x 4,320
about TV purchases, and not once have I ever been seems extremely unlikely. Instead, it's streaming, resolution
asked about 8K. Awareness levels of the technology thanks to a rapid rise in broadband speeds, that's
outside of AV circles appear to be basically zero. I'm the obvious outlet (and indeed there is AV1-encoded
far more likely to be asked about the sound quality 8K video on YouTube).
of a potential TV upgrade than its number of pixels.
But the next question is who would actually be
Content conundrum making the content? Yes, film and TV crews are
sometimes using 8K resolution digital cameras,
Samsung, and Sony and LG to a lesser extent, because the technology is widely available and it
are still playing the 8K TV game, but I do wonder brings a performance benefit, but the wider industry
how much longer they'll bother. Ultra-short-throw is firmly entrenched in 4K workflows. Our favourite
projectors, with 4K resolution, are nibbling away at blockbuster movies, no matter what format they're
the 'megascreen market', where an 8K panel makes captured on, are mastered in 4K, then corralled into
the most sense, while the bread and butter of their a 4K Digital Cinema Package (DCP) for play out
TV businesses are the mid-price, mid-size models on a 4K projector at the multiplex.
that probably sell faster than they can make 'em.
Any premium 8K streaming service would
And then there's what tech writers often therefore need to persuade studios to start
optimistically refer to as the 'lack' of 8K content, producing 8K masters, which they'd only do if the
by which we mean the near complete absence of it. cinema industry began projecting in 8K. Streaming
This situation was to be expected when the first 8K platforms with their own in-house production
screens appeared in the middle of the last decade, departments, such as Netflix (which has also begun
but a continued shortage just emphasises that using the AV1 codec), look like a better bet for future
8K content. But I do really mean 'future' – right now
the '8K revolution' hasn't happened. the beleaguered streamer has other fish to fry.

It's at this point where I start to wonder where None of the above changes the fact that
the 8K hype comes from, and it would seem to me Samsung's QE75QN900B is a first-rate flatscreen,
that 'blame' lies with the HDMI specification. The of course. Just don't buy one thinking you'll be living
v2.1 standard, introduced in 2017, added support for on a diet of 8K movies any time soon ■
uncompressed video playback in 4K resolution up
to 120Hz (useful), but also 8K at 60Hz (not useful). Do you own an 8K TV?
Skip forward a few years, and there are now AV Let us know: email [email protected]

MAIN IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/S.GVOZD AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

76 OPINION

While Top Gun: Maverick has broken records for Paramount Pictures, Disney might be wondering
why Pixar 'toon Lightyear has failed to take off. Anton van Beek thinks he has the answer

MY COLLEAGUE JON Thompson, in his column Joseph Kosinski has stated in interviews, ‘this is a Anton van Beek
saluting a return to traditional modes of movie movie that is designed to be seen on the biggest
distribution (In The Mix, HCC #332), discussed screen you can find and the best sound system in always listens to
how Tom Cruise fought to ensure Top Gun: Maverick your town.’ And I have no doubt that the immersive Kenny Loggins'
played exclusively in cinemas rather than appearing flying scenes and terrifying aerial stunts will still take
simultaneously on streaming platforms. This your breath away when Top Gun: Maverick lands on Danger Zone when
approach has certainly paid off. 4K Blu-ray later in the year. he tries to drive
through the
At the time of writing Top Gun: Maverick continues Lightyear's behind
to soar higher than an F/A-18 fighter jet at the global Blackwall Tunnel
box o ce, taking over $900m in a little under four However, before all of this box o ce success sees during rush hour
weeks. And that’s with the legacy sequel still proponents of granting films exclusive cinema
awaiting its South Korean release and not opening releases getting too bullish, the performance of
at all in either Russia or China. Pixar’s Toy Story spin-off Lightyear [pictured]
may indicate that things aren’t quite so clear cut.
Following fellow $900m+ pandemic-era Taking around $50m at the US box o ce in its
smashes Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness opening week, the animated movie fell $20m short
and Spider-Man: No Way Home it feels safe to say
that, after a couple of di cult years, audiences are of industry predictions. It subsequently became one
returning to multiplexes and blockbuster season is of the rare Pixar cinema releases not to
back in full swing. open in the top slot, as even a week-on-week

Kick the tires, light the fires box o ce fall of 60 per cent didn't stop Jurassic
World: Dominion holding on to that position.
Unsurprisingly, the smile-inducing Top Gun: Maverick
has become Tom Cruise’s biggest box o ce hit There will be, of course, various reasons why
– his previous top money-maker, 2018’s Mission: Lightyear didn’t perform as well as expected. But one
Impossible - Fallout, earned just over $791m. that can surely be discounted instantly is the mixed
In the process, the film has also become Paramount reaction the film received from critics. If that really
Pictures’ biggest live-action cinema release in 15 was the prime factor, then the panning dished out
international territories, including Australia, France, to Jurassic World: Dominion should have left it a
Brazil and right here in the UK. On top of that, bomb of epic proportions. I'm also not convinced
the studio is claiming that 16 per cent of Top Gun: that Lightyear's pre-tween target audience pays
Maverick’s audience have seen the film more than much attention to Mark Kermode et al.
once, with four per cent having been to watch it
four or more times! More likely, following the release models used
for Soul, Luca and Turning Red, parents have become
Honestly, it’s not hard to see why. The film is accustomed to Pixar films being released on Disney+
pure cinematic spectacle, underpinned with a big and no longer fancy paying a fortune for a family trip
old dollop of 1980s nostalgia, including Kenny to the cinema to watch a new one ■
Loggins’ Danger Zone on the soundtrack. As director
Have you been to the cinema to watch Top Gun: Maverick?
Let us know: email [email protected]

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

Tickets
on sale

NOW!

SAVE THE DATE: SEPTEMBER 10-11ASCOT2022th

RACECO•UVRINSYEL GRANDSTAENXDCL•UASSICVEOHTI•GBHE-ERNKDSAHUIDRIEO

ON DEMONSTRATION • LIVE MUSIC
& HI-RES MUSIC SALES • SYSTEM TUNING

• HI-FI WORKSHOPS • PANORAMIC HEADPHONE ZONE

• MEET WORLD-CLASS DESIGNERS & HI-FI PERSONALITIES

• FREE CAR PARKING • FULL BAR SERVICE • HOT & COLD FOOD ALL DAY

For more information, updates & ticket sales: d8M\[K`\X Zck_[

www.hifishowlive.com

78 SOUNDBAR SELECTION/MOONFALL

Feedback

Got an axe to grind? Need to comment on current tech? Want to share your knowledge with
our readers? Team HCC is here to help

The end of Onkyo? This would seem to mean that from the Onkyo's TX-RZ3400 was an 11-channel Atmos model
consumer point of view it's business as
In HCC #330, reader JBJ asked about usual, and hopefully could lead to a renewed I'm actually more interested to see if the
availability of Onkyo AV receivers in the UK, Onkyo brand. However, considering how Pioneer AV brand (not the far more successful
specifically the RZ50 model. Your reply much the brand name has been dragged and separate DJ division) can mount a
stated that the company's audio business through the mill by the bankruptcy and trickle comeback. This has been under the ownership
was now under the ownership of the of new hardware in recent years (the last UK of Onkyo since the mid 2010s, and is now also
American brand Klipsch, but you didn't know product launch was, as far as I can tell, the under the Premium Audio umbrella. A new
if that meant Onkyo products would once 11-channel TX-RZ3400 AV receiver in 2019), fully-featured battleship-build 4K Blu-ray
again enjoy UK distribution. you wonder how much resonance it still has player would be nice. Although I'm not getting
with shoppers. my hopes up.
I've now read that Onkyo in Japan has
gone into administration. Presumably this
means that we're even further away from
seeing the brand return to the UK.

I've long had a 'soft spot' for Onkyo,
purchasing my first seven-channel AV receiver
(a TX-SR606) from the company in 2009.
I now own a Denon model, though – mostly
because Onkyo disappeared from view!
Russell

Mark Craven replies: The Onkyo story is one
that's convoluted, because while the company
did indeed file for bankruptcy this spring,
it had previously sold o its audio business
(which is surely its only business) to a joint
venture between Sharp and Premium
Audio Company, the latter being the owner
of the Klipsch and Jamo loudspeaker brands.

Disappearing Dolby Roland Emmerich's Moonfall
– a disaster movie on an epic scale
Just received my copy of Home Cinema
Choice #332, great edition as usual.
However on p62 in the Triangle speaker
review, relating to Moonfall, it mentions
a Dolby Atmos soundtrack. Well, on my
imported 4K copy from the US, it states
on its back cover 'Dolby Digital' and
'DTS-HD Master Audio' only. The full-page
review of the film in the previous edition
also reported a dynamic Dolby Atmos
soundtrack! Seems we've all been
mislead, eh?
Vic Brash

John Archer replies: Hi Vic. Are you sure
your 4K import is from the US? My
Lionsgate US disc says Dolby Atmos on
the box, Dolby Atmos on the disc menus,
and my amplifier display shows it's
receiving a Dolby Atmos signal! Even the
US Blu-ray version has an Atmos track, so
I'm not sure what's happened here...

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

LETTERS 79

No Oklahoma? Denied! Star Letter...

I know these lists are open to interpretation Streaming costs add up?
and reflect opinion, but you included Streets of
Fire, The Greatest Showman, The Band Wagon, Steve May asked if we'd cancelled a simultaneous
and other assorted mediocrity in your roundup subscription streaming service this year screens to just
of movie musicals (HCC #330), but you can’t (AV Avenger, HCC #331). I haven't yet but one, and in my
find room for Oliver! or Oklahoma? have considered it. The problem is getting house that
my family members to agree! would be a
Really? How do you compile these lists? recipe for
I’ll skip the 'Weird ones', which are exactly Our Netflix subscription is now £15,99 disaster.
that. However, Meet Me in St. Louis is a total a month, because we have the 4K HDR
yawn-fest, Rocketman I liked, but it’s a film version, and this is practically double what Paul Jackson
with music not a musical, and La La Land... it was when I first signed up. It's got to the
How this ever got labelled a ‘musical’ when point now where I personally don't actually Mark Craven replies: Well, now you also have
it consists of ri s on three di erent songs, watch much Netflix material, but my Paramount+ to potentially add to the mix
I’ll never know. Like a school teacher teenage children do (Stranger Things being – although my colleague Steve May is not
returning homework, my verdict on that list is: the most popular). particularly impressed by it (see p114). Not to
'Must do better'. mention Apple TV+.
Then there's a £7.99 Disney+
Also, in another issue I read with interest subscription to add on to the £16 of Netflix. The disparity between the price of the
your article about the Hammer/Network I watch more stu on there than on top-tier, 4K Netflix subscription and Disney+
media partnership (Film Fanatic, HCC #329). Netflix (new Star Wars and Marvel shows). is an odd one. Even though Disney has upped
You mentioned the ...Devil Rides Out Blu-ray We also have Amazon Prime, another £8 it from the original £5.99 to £7.99 this year,
with its updated special e ects and not being a month. I don't watch much on here, but it still makes its rival look expensive.
able to source an original edition. I believe we do use the Prime free delivery aspect
what you are looking for is on the German quite often. Of course, Disney+ will have launched with
dual-platter release, and can still be found. a deliberately low price to grab customers,
The Amazon ASIN is B081KRFDG6. I can't Anyway, it would seem to me that I'm and may even increase its monthly sub
comment on the quality of the transfer, but spending more per month on streaming further. Yet it's also launching an ad-
reviewers seem to rate it. contracts than I ever spent on new movie supported alternative later this year that will
discs back in day – and I still buy some be more a ordable than the regular version.
Personally, I hope the tie-in will finally 4K Blu-rays! I can see this being quite popular.
produce an HD Blu-ray for She, starring Ursula
Andress. A great Hammer adventure film With the way prices are rising in general How Netflix responds, if at all, to that
based on H. Rider Haggard's story and starring at the moment, be it petrol, energy or the move will be interesting.
Peter Cushing again. I fondly remember weekly shop, I am of half a mind to cancel
watching this, several times, when I was Netflix, which now feels very expensive Star letter writer Paul grabs a copy of the epic Viking
growing up. Of course, the ending, without compared to Disney+, and face up to my saga The Northman on Ultra HD Blu-ray. Starring
spoiling it, is a ripe opportunity to add modern angry children! Switching to its basic tier Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman and Ethan
special e ects! So, we had better hope that would save £9 a month, and I doubt anyone Hawke, this action-packed tale of a Viking prince on
doesn't happen, or they give us the choice else in the family would notice the lack of a quest to avenge his father’s murder, save his
of two versions. 4K HDR. Yet this also limits the number of mother and reclaim his kingdom is now available to
own on Download & Keep, DVD, Blu-ray and 4K
Simon Ultra HD Collector’s Edition, courtesy of Universal
Pictures Home Entertainment.

Mark Craven replies: Of course our lists are and Peter Cushing, other adaptations hit the New soundbar needed!
subjective, and we always try to spread our bigscreen in 1911, 1916, 1917, 1925, 1935, 1984
wings a little bit. Perhaps, in hindsight, Streets and 2001, while Hammer also produced its Got a conundrum. I really want to replace my
of Fire shouldn't have made the cut – we hold own sequel (The Vengeance of She) in 1968. Yamaha YSP-2200 soundbar system with a
up our hands to say our love of all things The last UK DVD release of the 1965 film came similar low-profile model with Dolby Atmos/
Walter Hill might have got the better of via Optimum Releasing, so the rights should lie DTS:X support, HDMI 2.1 inputs, eARC out and
us! As for The Greatest Showman, it has with Studiocanal, although as that company crucially, passthrough support for 120Hz/4K
phenomenal soundmix quality and looks has licensed films to both Indicator and video and VRR. What options are out there?
sumptuous. What's not to like? Apart from, Network, if a Blu-ray was announced it could CaptainHippo
maybe, the songs... theoretically come from any one of those
distributors. Mark Craven replies: In this situation, I'd be on
Anton van Beek replies: Thanks for the the lookout for a soundbar with an HDMI input
heads-up regarding the German Blu-ray of The Yamaha's YSP-2200 launched in 2011, and came with (for DTS:X playback of Blu-ray soundtracks)
Devil Rides Out. Shout! Factory in the US also a slender sub you could install horizontally or vertically
released a Region A platter containing both the
rejigged Studiocanal remaster and a 2K scan
of an unmolested interpositive from the 20th
Century Fox vault. Hopefully, if Network does
eventually tackle the film, we'll finally get both
cuts of the film on Blu-ray over here.

As for She, H. Rider Haggard’s pulp
adventure novel proved to be persistently
popular with filmmakers. In addition to the
1965 Hammer version starring Ursula Andress

AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

80 CLASSICS ON 4K BD

Hyper

Enter the Dragon is one Bruce Lee film that
appears not to have gained a 4K master

HyperOur high-precision Achromatic RCA and Z plugs are designed toand then run other sources via eARC fromBlu-ray. Come on Warner Home Video, please
Achromatichave minimal impact on the signal – with virtually nothing added,your TV. This will help keep your gamingrelease it!
Speakernothing taken away – resulting in improved sound quality.input lag down (but possibly at the cost
ZNow standard on Element, Equator, Hyper & our new Ailsa cables.of audio lag) and widens the prospectiveThis also got me thinking of other classics
pool considerably. that would look good on 4K BD. Zulu and
atlascables.com Cleopatra are two that immediately spring to
Otherwise, it's hard to find something that mind. Can your readers think of any others?
exactly fits your spec needs. Models that are Paul Kelly
in the same price bracket as your current
Yamaha YSP-2200 are Creative's SXFI Carrier, Anton van Beek replies: Sadly, there’s been
which was well received by my colleague Steve no word on a 4K restoration of Enter the
Withers in HCC #328. This is a gaming-focused Dragon. Even the Bruce Lee: His Greatest Hits
design with Dolby Atmos, 4K/120 and VRR Blu-ray boxset released by The Criterion
passthrough, but no support for DTS:X – but Collection in the US in 2020 featured 2K
you could plug in your 4K disc spinner to its restorations of both cuts of that particular
HDMI input. Meanwhile, Sony's HT-A7000 martial arts movie, whereas The Big Boss,
(reviewed, and loved, by John Archer in HCC Fist of Fury, The Way of the Dragon and Game
#326) decodes both 3D sound formats and of Death were sourced from 4K masters.
passes 4K/120Hz, but not VRR. However, given that 2023 will mark the film's
50th anniversary, if ever there was a time
An heretical alternative would be to run for a 4K release, next year would be it.
an a ordable AVR with all the HDMI trimmings
(such as Denon's AVR-X1700H) and – as you Of the other pair of movies you mention,
obviously want to keep things neat and tidy neither has been announced for release on 4K
– a pair of quality compact loudspeakers. disc, but if I was a betting man I’d expect Zulu
You might find this just as impressive as a to arrive first. Paramount’s 4K release schedule
soundbar-delivered Dolby Atmos experience. has been a little eclectic (The Godfather Trilogy
Having said that, it's probably not long before one month, Escape from L.A. the next), but
a model arrives that ticks all your boxes. it has at least released other movies of Zulu's
vintage, like My Fair Lady and The Man Who
Steve May replies: If you connect to the Shot Liberty Valance, on the format.
screen direct, you dramatically open up your
choice of soundbar solutions. Lack of DTS:X Cleopatra is a 20th Century Fox production,
support doesn't really amount to a hill of so its fate now lies in the hands of Disney
beans. We live in an Atmos world... – and the House of Mouse hasn’t exactly been
rushing to raid the Fox library for legacy flicks
Bruce Lee in 4K for me, please? to release on 4K Blu-ray ■

Hi. Ever since the home video market came Contact us…
into being I was always able to rent and then
later buy my favourite film of all time, Bruce Write to HCC, AV Tech Media Ltd, Suite 6G, Eden
Lee's classic Enter The Dragon, be it Betamax, House, Enterprise Way, Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 6HF,
VHS, Laserdisc, DVD or Blu-ray. No matter or email us at [email protected]
what the format it's always been one of Please note: we cannot guarantee to print/answer all
the first releases to arrive – except for UHD the letters we receive. Sorry.

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

HOME CINEMAS & FAMILY MEDIA ROOMS | SMART HOMES | LIGHTING

LET US HELP YOU DESIGN
YOUR PERFECT CINEMA

Do you have a room that you would love to transform into your very own
private cinema?

We can manage your entire project, from design concept through to room
construction, equipment procurement, installation and commissioning.

Let our award-winning design team at Pyramid help you realise your
own dream cinema.

@thepyramidgroupuk @thepyramidgroupuk @Pyramid_AV @thepyramidgroup

Devon: 01752 335000 London: 0207 1834299 www.thepyramidgroup.co.uk

82 COMPETITIONS

WIN! Great Blu-rays up for grabs...

Head over to www.homecinemachoice.com/competitions to be in with a chance to win

Get Carter

Perhaps the greatest of all British crime
films, Mike Hodges’ 1971 Get Carter has been
restored in 4K by the BFI from the original
camera negative and will make its 4K
Blu-ray debut (limited to 10,000 copies) on
July 25, alongside a new two-disc BD edition
(limited to 5,000 copies). Extras include an
intro by Michael Caine, commentaries, an
isolated score, and new interviews. We have
three copies of the Get Carter: Limited
Edition Ultra HD Blu-rays to be won!

Question:

Mike Hodges also directed which of these
1980s sci-fi-comedies?

Answer:

A) Morons from Outer Space
B) Spaceballs C) Inner Space

The Unbearable Belle The Outfit
Weight of
Massive Talent Director Mamoru Hosoda’s Mark Rylance headlines
critically-acclaimed this stylish crime thriller
The meta action-comedy animated smash Belle is about an expert British
now available to own on tailor who must outwit a
The Unbearable Weight of Digital, DVD, Blu-ray and group of ruthless Chicago
Zavvi-exclusive 4K Ultra HD
Massive Talent, in which Collector’s Edition. To mark the mobsters. The Outfit will
occasion we’ve joined forces with Anime be available to own on DVD, Blu-ray
Nicolas Cage stars as Limited and have three copies of Belle on and Ultra HD Blu-ray from August 1, courtesy
Blu-ray up for grabs! of Dazzler Media, and we have three Blu-rays
Hollywood actor Nick Cage, is out now to be won!

on 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital.

Thanks to Lionsgate UK we have two

copies of the Ultra HD Blu-ray to dish out!

Question: Question: Question:

Which of these actors has not starred as Which of Hosoda’s movies was nominated for Actor Mark Rylance did not appear in which
a fictionalised version of themselves? the ‘Best Animated Feature Film’ Oscar? of the following Steven Spielberg films?

Answer: Answer: Answer:

A) Al Pacino B) John Malkovich A) Summer Wars B) Wolf Children A) The BFG B) The Post
C) Robert De Niro C) Mirai C) Ready Player One

To enter any of the above competitions go to www.homecinemachoice.com/competitions

Terms & Conditions
1. Entrants must be aged 18 or over and resident in the United Kingdom. 2. Employees of MyTimeMedia Ltd and companies supplying competition prizes are not
eligible to enter. 3. No responsibility will be accepted for delayed, mislaid, lost or damaged entries. 4. Only one entry per household; multiple entries will be discounted.
5. Prizes will be awarded to the first correct entries drawn at random after the closing date. 6. No alternatives, cash or otherwise, will be o ered to the winner as prizes.
7. The editor’s decision is final. 8. Comp winners' names available on request. 9. The closing date is 26 August, 2022. 10. Please note that your data will be managed in
compliance with GDPR law. Our privacy law can be found at www. mytimemedia.co.uk/privacy

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

BUY NOW

STAY TRUE

HEADPHONES THAT ADAPT TO YOU AND YOUR ENVIRONMENT

L700A

Experience signature 3D Sound uk.yamaha.com
immersion always and everywhere!

A complete immersive sound space
optimized for your ultimate multi-
dimensional listening adventure.

Further Technologies of the L700A:

ADVANCED ANC | cuts the noise,
not your music

LISTENING OPTIMIZER | optimized for
your sound experience

LISTENING CARE | get closer, not louder

THE HOME OF REAL HI-FI

NOOUWT !utolhtiitgmhhYeao-etwuenrodgrulhdiid-oeffi

IN EVERY ISSUE

Exclusive high-end equipment reviews, vinyl, CD and hi-res downloads rated,
your letters, in-depth investigations, opinion pages, vintage tests & so much more…

www.hifinews.co.uk

WWW.HOMECINEMACHOICE.COM 85

PLAYBACK

➜Software highlights AMBULANCE Michael Bay actioner arrives all sirens

blazing THE BATMAN Robert Pattinson makes his Dark Knight debut SINGIN' IN THE RAIN
Classic musical dazzles in 4K THE UNTOUCHABLES Period gangster flick gets a criminally good

Atmos soundtrack THE QUARRY 'Interactive' videogame brings on the scares & MORE!

Norse opera

The Northman➜Universal➜Ultra HD Blu-ray

Anya Taylor-Joy stars RATINGS KEY…
as the mysterious
sorceress Olga in Outstanding
Dark Ages epic The Above average
Northman, alongside Acceptable
Alexander Skarsgård as Disappointing
the titular Viking warrior. Dire
We get deep in mud
and blood with the AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE
Ultra HD Blu-ray, p91.

All prices quoted are approximate and may have changed

Ambulance is Jake Gyllenhaal's second consecutive
remake of a Danish movie, following 2021's The Guilty

Epic car chase drones on...

Michael Bay has some new toys and he won't stop playing with them in this action extravaganza

VERDICT ➜ Ambulance González about the filmmaker's latest. And that
spectacle looks eye-poppingly intense on this
Ambulance Desperate for the money, former soldier Will Sharp reference-quality encode.
(Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) agrees to help his adoptive
➜ Universal ➜ Ultra HD Blu-ray brother Danny (Jake Gyllenhaal) with a bank heist. Captured with a mix of 6K and 8K cameras
& All-region BD ➜ £30 When things don't go to plan – of course – they are and finished as a 4K DI, Ambulance's native UHD
WE SAY: A typically rowdy and soon bring pursued through the busy streets of Los presentation is simply exquisite. Detailing is razor-
bombastic assault on the senses Angeles in a hijacked ambulance with a paramedic sharp, so every tiny piece of airborne debris is clearly
from Michael Bay and a demo- (Eiza González) and critically injured cop (Jackson visible during the many crashes. Bay's aesthetic
worthy treat on 4K Blu. White) along for the ride. approach is further enhanced by the disc's HDR10/
Dolby Vision grades, bathing the 2.39:1 photography
Movie: Focusing on a small group of characters trapped in saturated primary colours and boosting instances
inside a confined space – albeit one hurtling through of lens flare with HDR brightness peaks. Black levels
Picture: oncoming traffic at speed – you can see why also show significant improvement over the film's
producer Bradley J Fischer describes Ambulance as Full HD incarnation, seeming deeper and silkier,
Audio: director Michael Bay's 'version of a character piece'. but never once falling prey to crush.
However, it soon becomes clear the filmmaker is Audio: This Dolby Atmos soundmix is the stu
Extras: more focused on the car chase action rather than of home cinema dreams. Use of the surrounds
the characters, and his squadron of FPV (First- is expansive and detailed, delivering the creaks
OVERALL: Person View) drones. and groans inside the ambulance with pin-point
accuracy. Meanwhile, the sound of cars piling into
Why bother with a static two-shot of people one another (or anything else in the vicinity) is
talking when you can cut back and forth between rendered with punishing power and LFE force, and
cameras flying in various directions? Who needs from the somersaulting vehicles to the ever-present
to cut away from an establishing aerial shot of a city police helicopters, the use of the height layer is
when you can have the camera do a loop-the-loop continual and convincing. A perfect example
in the air and then zoom down to earth? This of a dynamic, three-dimensional soundscape.
photography is all very kinetic and exhilarating, Extras: There are six fairly standard short featurettes
but it also makes the film's tempo so frantic covering Bay's filmmaking style; shooting the
that the story's emotional beats are drowned out. ambulance in the studio and on location; the use
of drone cameras; the film's origin and cast; filming
Still, if you want to watch lots of car crashes in Los Angeles; and a look at Eiza González's training
and explosions, then Ambulance is hugely enjoyable. to play an EMT. AvB
Picture: 'It's such a spectacle. You don't get anything
but a spectacle from Michael Bay,' says actress Eiza

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

PLAYBACK 87

The Green Knight: The Lost City The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
Limited Edition
Paramount ➜ Ultra HD Blu-ray Lionsgate ➜ Ultra HD Blu-ray
Entertainment in Video ➜ Ultra HD £25 & Region B BD ➜ £25
Blu-ray & Region B BD ➜ £30
This Romancing the Nicolas Cage is clearly having
Based on the 14th Stone-style comedy- the time of his life spoofing
century poem Sir adventure casts himself in this meta comedy.
Gawain and the Green Sandra Bullock as And who can blame him?
Knight, this dazzling a romance novelist Both a sidesplittingly funny
medieval fantasy kidnapped by a Hollywood satire and an
stars Dev Patel as the billionaire (Daniel unexpectedly touching bromance, The Unbearable Weight…
headstrong youth on Radcli e) who believes she holds is an absolute hoot that'll pin a huge smile on your face
a quest to meet his fate at the hands of the key to locating an ancient treasure, throughout its 107 minutes. We also have no complaints about
a mysterious knight. Shot using Arri Alexa and Channing Tatum as the dim bulb this 4K disc, which matches sun-kissed HDR10/Dolby Vision
65 cameras and finished as a 4K DI, The cover model out to save her. An enjoyably 2.39:1 visuals with a fun, action-packed Dolby Atmos soundmix.
Green Knight looks spectacular, its HDR10/ goofy and sincere throwback, The Lost Extras include a commentary from filmmaker Tom Gormican,
DV encode bringing extra vibrancy to crisp City also benefits from a bold 4K HDR five featurettes, and a cast and crew Q&A. AvB
images. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix is superb, encode and lively Atmos soundfield
but we don't get the Atmos track that (check out Chapter 11's volcanic finale).
accompanied the US release. Extras are Seven featurettes, eight deleted scenes
few, but incredibly informative. AvB and a blooper reel are included. MC

'What a glorious feeling'

Gene Kelly works his musical magic in this all-singing, all-dancing 4K upgrade

➜Singin' in t e Rain

Cinematic joy from start to end, 1952's Singin' in the Gene hadn't yet VERDICT
Rain, co-directed/choreographed by Gene Kelly and worked out how
Stanley Donen, was originally conceived as a vehicle to use an umbrella Singin' in the Rain
to reuse songs from earlier MGM musicals but along
the way transformed into a brilliantly funny and DTS-HD MA 2.0 dual-mono rendering of the 'Original ➜ Warner Bros. ➜ Ultra HD Blu-ray &
smart film industry satire. It's not just one of the Theatrical' mix. While naturally less expansive than All-region BD ➜ £30
greatest Hollywood musicals, but one of the greatest the surround track (although even that is fairly subtle WE SAY: One of the greatest films
films ever, full stop. in its enhancements), the mono presentation has a ever is now available on 4K BD.
Picture: The fact that we even have a 4K Blu-ray slightly greater feeling of dynamic range. Whichever Pick up a copy right now!
release of Singin' in the Rain, let alone one that looks you choose, you won't be disappointed.
as spectacular as this, is something of a miracle. Extras: On this two-disc set, the 4K platter carries Movie:
All but one reel of the original three-strip Technicolor over the commentary track from the earlier Blu-ray Picture:
negatives were destroyed in the 1978 Eastman House release (a multi-voice a air featuring actors Debbie Audio:
nitrate fire, and the number of opticals (dissolves, Reynolds, Donald O'Connor, Cyd Charisse and Extras:
etc) in the film mean that the prints that remained Kathleen Freeman, co-director Stanley Donen,
were anywhere between two and four generations writers Betty Comden and Adolph Green, filmmaker OVERALL:
removed from the source. Baz Luhrmann, and film historian Rudy Behlmer),
plus direct links to the 13 musical numbers.
Warner Bros. provides no specific information
about the source for this disc, but what you get The accompanying Blu-ray also houses the
appears to be a native Ultra HD presentation (with commentary, plus the Singin' in the Rain: Raining on
additional HDR10 grade) of the 4K scan of master a New Generation documentary (51 minutes), the
projection elements that also served as the basis trailer, and a programmable jukebox of musical
of 2012's Blu-ray release – and the result is mind- numbers from the film. AvB
blowing. Not only is the 1.37:1-framed imagery in
immaculate condition, but detailing is much more
refined and colour more nuanced (albeit tonally a
touch cooler than on the earlier Blu-ray). As you'd
expect from a film with so many optical transitions,
some shots look noticeably softer than others and
see a spike in grain levels.
Audio: In addition to the DTS-HD MA 5.1 remix that
featured on the 2012 Blu-ray, this 4K disc boasts a

AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

88 POW! BAM! ZAP!

The even
Darker Knight

The latest bigscreen Batman do-over
drops Gotham’s Caped Crusader
into a Se7en-esque serial killer
flick – with thrilling results

Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz) and Batman
(Robert Pattinson) shoot the breeze

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

PLAYBACK 89

➜The Batman

Filmmaker Matt Reeves ventures into Pattinson was cast after previous Andy Serkis (above) plays Batman's
the darkest corners of Gotham City Batsuit-wearer Ben A eck left the project butler buddy Alfred Pennyworth
with his cinematic reinvention of the
Dark Knight, pitting Robert Pattinson’s 1080p platter are like night and day, with the VERDICT
fairly green Batman (the story is set expanded dynamic range provided by the 4K disc's The Batman
during his second year fighting crime) against a Dolby Vision grading picking out details that are
psychotic version of the Riddler (Paul Dano), who nowhere to be seen in the murky gloom of the Full ➜ Warner Bros. ➜ Ultra HD Blu-ray &
has far more in common with the Zodiac Killer than HD encode, while enhancing brighter light sources. All-region BD ➜ £25
Jim Carrey or Frank Gorshin. WE SAY: A brilliant new take on the
Running just shy of three hours, this slow-burn The HDR grade also does a better job of balancing superhero arrives on disc with
murder mystery might not sit well with those who the colour palette; when Batman lights a flare top-tier AV and informative extras.
prefer their comic book movies full of non-stop to illuminate the darkness in Chapter 16, the Movie:
action. On the other hand it's nice to finally see a overbearingly harsh reds of the 1080p version are Picture:
version of DC Comics’ ‘world’s greatest detective’ replaced by slightly more natural (but still vivid) Audio:
who looks equally at home when surrounded by tones that burn brighter and reveal more detailing Extras:
old books as he is punching people in the face. in the surrounding rubble.
Helping deliver this fresh-feeling take on the Audio: The Batman comes with a choice of Dolby OVERALL:
source material is a superb supporting cast, Atmos and Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtracks; naturally
particularly Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman we stuck with the former.
and an unrecognisable Colin Farrell as the Penguin
(who seems to be doing an impression of Robert Given that the whole tone of the film feels heavily
De Niro as the Penguin). Then there's the movie's indebted to David Fincher’s Se7en, it doesn’t come
surfeit of film noir style, which gives it another point as a surprise to find that its version of Gotham City
of di erence from the majority of recent comic book su ers from near-perpetual rainfall. As well as
adaptations. More of this please, Warner Bros.! leaving the city’s residents sopping wet, this means
Picture: Sourced from a 4K digital intermediate, there’s frequently something going on in the Atmos
The Batman’s 2.39:1-framed native Ultra HD height layer. Atmospheric e ects regularly fill the
presentation is a real stress-test for your display’s 360-degree planar speaker array, too, a ording
capabilities. With a dark, moody visual aesthetic Gotham City and each of its environs a sense of
that matches the tone of its story, this is the sort scale and space.
of film where even daylight shots look overcast and
swathed in ominous shadows. Most of the action, That's not to say that the track is lacking in more
however, takes place at night on the streets of powerful dynamics. The surround and height e ects
Gotham City, and in the hands of cinematographer that accompany Batman’s stairway escape from the
Greig Fraser this means an all-enveloping inky Gotham P.D. in Chapter 8 bring a feeling of verticality
darkness punctuated by the ochre glow of street to the sequence. The same is also true of the fights
lights and bright neon signage. that occur on the lighting rigs and gantries inside the
As gloomy as the visuals are, detailing is excellent, Gotham Square Garden (shot in London’s O2 Arena)
with medium shots and close-ups revealing plenty during Chapter 16. However, the real sonic highlight is
of texture and pixel finery no matter how low the Chapter 9’s car chase, where the deep bass roar of
light levels. Comparisons with the accompanying the Batmobile’s engine, screeching tires, crunching
bodywork and explosions fill your room.
That's Colin Farrell Extras: Both the 4K and Full HD copies of the film
under there... are barebones, with all of the extras confined to a
dedicated ‘Special Features’ Blu-ray. The majority
of these are short featurettes covering fight
choreography, characters, pre-production, specific
scenes, the Batmobile, make-up e ects and more,
leaving it up to the 54-minute documentary
Vengeance in the Making to o er a substantial
overview of the entire production. There are also
two deleted scenes, with optional commentary from
director Matt Reeves – one of which finds Batman
paying a visit to the Joker in Arkham Asylum... AvB

AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

90 DARIO ARGENTO/VIKINGS

Arcade Action Get Carter [1971]

Bigscreen home entertainment isn’t just about movies BFI ➜ Ultra HD Blu-ray & Region B BD
anymore. Rik Henderson checks out a videogame vying £35
for time on your home cinema system...
This 4K restoration of Mike
Hodges’ iconic 1971 revenge
thriller (see p98) is nothing
less than a revelation. A huge
improvement on the flat,
mottled visuals served up by
the 2014 Blu-ray, the BFI's 2160p do-over uncovers scads of
detail amongst the heavy (but far more refined) film grain.
Contrast is also vastly improved, the wider dynamic range (incl.
DV) giving visuals more punch without taking away from the
grim and gritty aesthetic. An expansive suite of extras includes
two commentaries, isolated score, and director interview. AvB

The Quarry Tenebrae: Limited Edition

2K Games ➜ PlayStation 5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Arrow Video ➜ Ultra HD Blu-ray & Region B BD
PC ➜ £65 £40

Developer Supermassive Games has built a following making An American author visiting
choose-your-own-adventure horror games, with its most recent, The Rome gets caught up in the
Dark Pictures Anthology, having extremely high production values. hunt for a killer inspired by his
However, it was its first – the PlayStation exclusive Until Dawn – that latest novel in Dario Argento’s
piqued our interest most, mainly thanks to its slasher routes and slick and bloody 1982 giallo.
close adherence to the '80s movies we grew up on. The Quarry feels Newly restored in 4K from the
like its spiritual successor and once again ticks almost every box. original negatives and presented here with a sympathetic
Dolby Vision HDR grade, Tenebrae’s stark and stylish
You play as nine individual camp counsellors stuck in a spooky photography looks absolutely incredible. As you’d expect, this
summer camp long after everyone else has left. It is your job to keep Limited Edition UHD release is also jam-packed with extras,
each of them alive in the face of numerous outside horrors. Spoiler including the 90-minute ‘Unsane’ US re-edit with two audio
alert: you won’t! Not the first time, at least. options – the original soundtrack, jump cuts and all, and a
newly created, more seamless mix. AvB
The game is designed to be replayable, with choices along the
way that have repercussions on what will occur either now or Dirty Dancing: 4K Steelbook
down the line. There is some third-person control over characters
in exploration and adventuring elements, but the game is more like Lionsgate ➜ Ultra HD Blu-ray & Region B BD
a 10-hour film with occasional interactive moments. £30

Some might be put o by that, as while your actions do seem Following various sub-par
to matter, there are long segments where you are just a mere Blu-ray releases, Dirty Dancing
spectator. Still, the acting and script are more than decent enough fans will be having the time
to engage, and the character and scenery rendering is excellent. of their lives with this UHD
upgrade of the inexplicably
Supermassive has a history of attracting big names to its games popular 1987 smash. While
(Hayden Panettiere and Rami Malek were in Until Dawn) and some shots still look fairly soft, this Dolby Vision picture is largely
The Quarry is no exception. It features excellent turns by Lance a noticeable step up in quality and appears far more faithful to
Henriksen, David Arquette and horror alumni Ted Raimi, while the source materials. A new Atmos track is even more impressive,
the younger members of the cast also impress. bringing extra depth, range and spaciousness to the iconic music
soundtrack. The 4K disc has a commentary, trailer and interview,
We also like the way The Quarry lures you into thinking that it’s while the BD copy boasts (many) more archival extras. AvB
one type of horror flick, but then swerves into another.

There are no graphics alternatives of note on the game, but the
standard presentation is great, especially on PS5 and Xbox Series
X/S, and PC owners can play at 4K 60fps. There’s also a super score
by TV and movie composer Ian Livingstone (not the writer) that
builds tension and does a great job of accentuating jump scares.

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

91

Alexander Skarsgård (aka The
Northman) wearing an early version
of a hooded top

It really is grim up north

Gritty Viking epic proves that 4K Blu-ray can make even the ugliest content look beautiful

➜The Northman The Northman's 4K master is derived from a 4K DI Most of the film was shot on location in
that was in turn derived from a 35mm film shoot. Northern Ireland
After wowing cult horror fans with first The Witch and That’s a recipe for lots of purity and detail, and this
then The Lighthouse, director Robert Eggers bids for disc doesn’t let you down. The stunning locations VERDICT
the mainstream with The Northman, an epic tale of look exquisitely real, the endless filth of everything The Northman
familial vengeance amid the brutal world of Vikings looks suitably ingrained, depth of field is expanded
and Norse mythology. versus the HD Blu-ray, and there’s remarkably little ➜ Universal ➜ Ultra HD Blu-ray &
evidence of softness or compression in the film’s All-region BD ➜ £25
Gladiator with Vikings, though, The Northman frequent dark and misty sequences. WE SAY: The film is a bit of a case of
certainly is not. Despite securing a Hollywood budget style over substance, but that style
and starting out strongly, it ultimately becomes an Colours enjoy richer saturations and extra tonal shines through on this excellent 4K
art-house movie as likely to alienate as appeal, and subtleties than on the SDR encode, both in the film’s Blu-ray showcase.
as likely to have you laughing as wincing at its florid rare moments of vibrancy and the deliberately Movie:
script, basic narrative and balls-out brutality. leaden look deployed elsewhere. Picture:
Audio: The film's Atmos soundmix is of equal quality. Audio:
To be fair, much of the chaos looks and sounds The score frequently erupts into a pounding blend of Extras:
stunning, and there are a few stirringly grim set- heavy drums, shrieking pipes and choral chants,
pieces. And Anya Taylor-Joy, as Olga, gives the film while supernatural scenes are accompanied by OVERALL:
some much-needed heart, although her admirable electronic and vocal drones. The battles are full
e orts sail amid a sea of indi erent performances of scale and precisely placed detail. The frequent
elsewhere, with many roles feeling like subsidiaries roaring, screaming and wolf howls of the (barely)
to the film's style and mood. human characters are mixed high for extra impact,
Picture: While Eggers' aesthetic approach might and atmospherics are always potent, giving the
not always engage, it does deliver some seriously action a terrifying real-world feel.
handsome 4K Blu-ray pictures. Black levels, in Extras: Impressively, The Northman’s decent set of
particular, are arguably the best we’ve seen, giving bonuses appear on the 4K disc - in 4K! – as well as
a stark beauty to the many night-time and dark the accompanying BD one. The most substantial
‘mythology’ scenes. Shadow detailing is strong, so o erings are a commentary by Eggers (be warned:
nothing feels flat or forced, and the blacks are often this focuses more on Viking factoids than filmmaking
punctured by some aggressive HDR highlighting – anecdotes), and nine deleted/extended scenes.
especially when Hel’s Gate opens. The dynamics Six featurettes covering Viking culture, the actors,
are especially impressive if your hardware can take locations, shooting the village raid, etc, are relatively
advantage of the disc’s Dolby Vision grade, even strong examples of their type. JA
while the baseline brightness level is quite restrained.

AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

92 HUMPHREY BOGART

Above: 1949's Knock on Any Door was the
second film from director Nicholas Ray,
who later helmed Rebel Without a Cause

Boxing drama The Harder They Fall
(below) was Bogart's final film

Here’s looking at you, kid

A Hollywood legend takes centre stage in Indicator’s latest film noir round-up

➜Columbia Noir #5: featuring the actor himself. That said, this twisty
Humphrey Bogart morality tale is a bit of a corker, starring Lee J. Cobb
as the lawyer who ends up defending a man he
As you will have guessed from its title, there’s a Bogart co-starred with film noir knows to be innocent of murder, because his own
very clear theme to Indicator’s fifth collection of stalwart Lizabeth Scott in 1947's Dead son (John Derek) is actually the guilty party.
film noir movies pulled from the Columbia Pictures Reckoning (left)
vault: the actor Humphrey Bogart. And while this Saving the best for last, boxing drama The Harder
set doesn’t include any of Bogie’s most iconic noir VERDICT They Fall (1956) pulls no punches as it highlights
roles, there’s still plenty here for fans to enjoy… exploitation and brutality behind the surface of the
Columbia Noir #5: sport. A powerful film, it was also Bogart’s last, the
The most ‘traditional’ noir in the set, the Humphrey Bogart actor dying the following year aged 57.
excellent Dead Reckoning (1947), sees Bogart’s army Picture: According to the accompanying literature,
captain trying to track down a fellow paratrooper, ➜ Indicator the first five films in the set were all ‘sourced from
only to end up embroiled in his seedy past. ➜ Region B BD ➜ £50 Sony’s High Definition masters’, while The Harder
WE SAY: The films aren't all winners, They Fall (also the only one to be shot in widescreen)
Directed by Nicolas Ray, melodramatic ‘legal noir’ but Indicator has still assembled is based on a more recent 4K restoration. While there
Knock on Any Door (1949) was the first film made an excellent boxset for noir lovers. are some minor issues with the first five (tramlines,
by the Bogart's own production company, Santana speckles, etc), they are all up to the standards we’ve
Productions, and casts him as a lawyer trying to help Movie: come to expect from Indicator: technically robust
a young criminal accused of killing a cop. Picture: encodes, excellent contrast, and crisp delineation.
Audio: Audio: All six films get cleaned-up LPCM versions
Hampered by a bland script and obvious use of Extras: of their original mono soundtracks. The technical
doubles for its leading man, Tokyo Joe (1949) sends quality is as strong as that of the imagery, even if
Bogie to occupied post-war Japan to find out what OVERALL: the limitations of the source material render them
happened to the bar he used to run, only to learn the a touch flat when it comes to dynamic spot e ects.
wife he believed dead is still alive (and remarried!). Extras: As well as superb audio commentaries for
each title from various film scholars and historians,
The set’s other dud, Sirocco (1951) is basically an this set includes a selection of vintage short films,
attempt at redoing Casablanca, this time a bit darker image galleries, a 1997 episode of The South Bank
and set in Damascus. It begins well but quickly tails Show about Bogart’s career, video essays, behind-
o ; the script is dull, Bogart seems bored by it all, the-scenes footage, and a 120-page book. AvB
and Märta Torén is no Ingrid Bergman.

The Family Secret (1951) is the set’s outlier, being
made by Bogart’s Santana Productions but not

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

Digital subscriptions d8M\[K`\X Zck_[
available online now…

https://hcc.secureorder.co.uk/hcc/BAR/#digital https://hfc.secureorder.co.uk/hfc/BAR/#digital https://hfn.secureorder.co.uk/hifi/BAR/#digital

O Download each new issue to your device
O A 74% discount on your Digital subscription
O Access your subscription on multiple devices

94 TONY SCOTT/BRIAN DE PALMA

You’ll want to touch this one

‘He pulls a Dolby Digital track, you pull an Atmos remix… That’s the UHD way’

➜The Untouchables

Leave it to Brian De Palma to take a work-for-hire job The inclusion of a Dolby Atmos remix on this 4K Sean Connery (left) won the Oscar for
helming a period crime thriller for a major Hollywood platter is therefore another cause for celebration. Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal
studio, and end up crafting an action set-piece that of veteran cop Jim Malone
references the ‘Odessa Steps’ sequence of Sergei As soon as Ennio Morricone’s score starts up it’s
Eisenstein’s 1925 silent masterpiece Battleship clear how much richer, deeper and more expansive VERDICT
Potemkin. And that’s just one of the many pleasures the new track sounds. It’s not just the music either.
to be found in this beautifully shot, brilliantly acted Imaging across the speaker array is excellent, making The Untouchables: Special
and endlessly enjoyable 1987 dive into Prohibition- judicious use of the added height channels to Collector’s Edition
era Chicago, pitting Kevin Costner’s straight-down- enhance the world the film inhabits – such as the
the-line lawman Eliot Ness against Robert De Niro’s way a baby’s cries drift above you following the ➜ Paramount ➜ Ultra HD Blu-ray &
terrifying mobster Al Capone. gunfire outside Malone’s apartment in Chapter 19. All-region BD ➜ £30
Picture: For the best part of 15 years now, fans of And speaking of gunfire, it now has much more WE SAY: A huge AV upgrade for De
The Untouchables have been stuck with a lacklustre impact and power than before. Palma’s exciting crime thriller.
Blu-ray sourced from a dated, DNR-afflicted HD Extras: The same extras found on previous releases
master. Mercifully, this Ultra HD outing finally does have migrated over to this UHD release: four Movie:
the film’s handsome cinematography and production retrospective featurettes, a vintage promo featurette Picture:
design proud, the 2.39:1-framed 2160p encode’s and a trailer. In lieu of any new disc-based goodies, Audio:
native grain resulting in an authentic film-like feel. this 4K disc is packaged in a striking steelbook (with Extras:
slipcase) and comes bundled with poster, art cards
The HDR grading (including Dolby Vision) and and two faux business cards. AvB OVERALL:
wide colour presentation, although not particularly
vibrant, give the film's fairly neutral colour palette
a more nuanced appearance, while the expanded
contrast delivers inky blacks and impeccably crisp
whites. Specular highlights on reflective and
polished surfaces add some more obvious HDR
sparkle to the 4K presentation. Detailing is also
very good throughout, and the restored source is
in excellent condition.
Audio: Not content with delivering weak visuals
on its 2008 ‘Special Collector’s Edition’ Blu-ray,
Paramount made things worse by foregoing lossless
audio in favour of a DVD-quality Dolby Digital 5.1 mix.

Belle The Card Counter The Discreet Charm Rock 'n' Roll High
of the Bourgeoisie School: Ltd. Ed.
Anime Ltd. ➜ Region B BD Dazzler Media ➜ Region B BD
£20 £23 Studiocanal ➜ Ultra HD Blu-ray & 101 Films Black Label ➜ Region B BD
Region B BD ➜ £30 £17
Japanese filmmaker Taxi Driver scribe Paul
Mamoru Hosoda uses Schrader peers into the Luis Buñuel’s surrealist A gleefully silly and
a classic fairytale to dark heart of American satire about six enjoyably anarchic
explore more modern society once again members of the French 1979 celebration of
themes in this funny, with this typically upper-class whose punk rock and teenage
perceptive and moving tough – and plans to dine together rebellion is here to
animated feature. are continually foiled rock the roof o your
Belle is also a feast for the eyes accomplished by unexpected events
and ears, this Blu-ray delivering a – drama-thriller. Oscar Isaac is superb turns 50 this year, and to celebrate movie den. Sourced
ravishing 2.39:1 Full HD picture and in the title role, his card player haunted Studiocanal has restored the film in 4K. from a 4K scan of the original
dynamic DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtracks by his past in the military and now seeking The resulting 1.66:1-framed 2160p Dolby negatives, this Roger Corman-produced
(original Japanese and English dub). a chance at redemption after an Vision encode maintains an authentically teen cult classic looks surprisingly good
Sadly, the only extras are a pair of TV unexpected meeting. Despite a lack muted colour palette, albeit now looking on Blu-ray, although inherent limitations
spots – although for £50 you can grab a of extra features (just one five-minute cooler than earlier Blu-ray releases. mean the LPCM dual-mono mix still falls
Deluxe Edition that adds a 4K BD copy featurette), Dazzler’s Blu-ray still deals a Joining it are analyses of the film and comparatively short. Copious extras
of the film, two bonus discs of extras, and pretty good hand with its pin-sharp AVC three specific scenes, plus an interview include four commentaries, a 70-minute
the CD soundtrack. AvB 1.66:1 Full HD encode and atmospheric with writer Jean-Claude Carrière. AvB retrospective documentary, interviews
DTS-HD MA 5.1 sonics. AvB and outtakes. Rock on! AvB

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

PLAYBACK 95

We're All Going to the The Duke The Burning Sea The Worst Person in
World's Fair the World
Pathé ➜ Region B BD Elysium Films ➜ Region B BD
Lightbulb Film Distribution £20 £23 MUBI ➜ Region B BD
Region B BD ➜ £20 £20
There’s more than Following The Wave
Reminiscent of Kiyoshi a hint of the classic (2015) and The Quake More Norwegian
Kurosawa’s (superior) Ealing comedies to (2018), 2021's The cinema, this time a
2001 horror Pulse, this this whimsical caper Burning Sea is the third romantic drama from
indie psycho-drama based on the unlikely eco-disaster flick from Joachim Trier that
uses the world of – but true – story of Norwegian filmmaker follows former
online viral challenges the 1961 theft of John Andreas medical student Julie
to explore ideas of Francisco de Goya’s portrait of the Andersen. Here a crack in the floor of the (Renate Reinsve) as
disassociation and obsession. If the story Duke of Wellington. Directed by the late North Sea impacts Norway’s network of she navigates the ups and downs of life.
never fully delivers on its premise, the Roger ‘Notting Hill’ Mitchell, The Duke is oil platforms, sparking a race against time This appealing Blu-ray partners its 1.85:1
all-too-believable lead performance from a quirky and funny crowd-pleaser that to rescue a worker from one of the Full HD encode with a DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix
newcomer Anna Cobb and unsettling reaps rewards from Jim Broadbent’s collapsing rigs. This entertaining, if that's at its best when handling the
subject matter still make it worth a watch. excellent comic timing. Pick of the formulaic, disaster flick gets a barebones superb array of soundtrack songs. Extras
Given the film’s lo-fi aesthetic, the 1080p modest extras on Pathé's good-looking BD with pleasing 2.39:1 Full HD visuals take the form of a Q&A with Reinsve,
encode and DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix don’t 2.39:1-ratio Blu-ray is a 25-minute and throaty DTS-HD MA 5.1 sonics, but gallery, behind-the-scenes footage, and a
exactly thrill. Extras include a chat-track Q&A session with Broadbent and co-star not the Atmos track featured on BD and trailer for the director’s ‘Oslo Trilogy’ (of
and deleted scenes. AvB Helen Mirren. AvB 4K BD releases in the US. AvB which this is the concluding film). AvB

The heat is back on

Tony Scott brings more style and violence to Eddie Murphy’s second outing as Axel Foley

➜Beverl Hills Cop II 'Authorise!' VERDICT

This 1987 movie falls into the usual sequel trap of and DV grades add a layer of sheen, bringing Beverly Hills Cop II
essentially repeating the plot of the earlier film, while nuance to the '80s pastel colours and giving
simultaneously adding more – more girls, more guns, Nielsen’s bright red lipstick real pop. The ➜ Paramount
and more gags. It’s also significantly more stylish specular highlights are also impressive, especially ➜ Ultra HD Blu-ray ➜ £20
thanks to the presence of Tony Scott in the director's the Californian sun reflecting off all the luxury cars. WE SAY: Action-comedy sequel looks
chair, hot off the success of Top Gun. The rest of the presentation is equally as good, fabulous in 4K HDR, but only gets
with no signs of source damage, a clean transfer a bare-bones disc release.
This time around Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) with no apparent artefacts or banding, and no black
heads to Beverly Hills to investigate the ‘Alphabet crush. This is a first-class job from Paramount. Movie:
Crimes’, once again teaming up with detectives Audio: The DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack appears to be Picture:
Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and Taggart identical to previous releases, and while good for its Audio:
(John Ashton). Paul Reiser and the late time, the dynamics are somewhat limited. The mix is Extras:
Gilbert Gottfried are on hand to deliver dominated by Harold Faltermeyer’s score, along with
unfunny comedy turns, while Jurgen numerous pop songs, all of which are spread across OVERALL:
Prochnow, Dean Stockwell and the statuesque the front three channels. Surrounds are used to give
Brigitte Nielsen handle villain duties. locations like police stations a lively atmosphere, and
action scenes benefit from booming gunfire.
The result is undeniably slick and action- Extras: None, which is rubbish given this release is
packed, but misses out on the explosive, raw marketed as the ‘35th Anniversary Edition’. SW
power of the 1984 original, often lazily coasting
along on Murphy’s charm and star-power.
Picture: This UHD disc uses a native 4K scan of the
original camera negative, framed in the film’s 2.35:1
theatrical aspect ratio. It’s a fantastic presentation,
with a gorgeous film-like quality. Pixel-peepers
brought up on a diet of digital movies may grumble
about the levels of grain, but these are to be
expected given the film's 'Super 35' production
process, not to mention Scott’s penchant for smokey
interiors and coloured filters.

While not as razor-sharp as modern productions,
those prepared to look will discover terrific levels of
detail in facial close-ups and clothing textures, plus
the gra ti in the grimy Detroit exteriors. The HDR10

AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

96 MS. MARVEL/CHRIS PRATT ON

DEMAND

Amnesiac actioner, anaemic audio

Prime Video's eight-episode thriller has a strong cast, but its AV credentials are second-rate

➜The Terminal List

Chris Pratt is back, saving the free world and only one trying to work out what actually went Also taking roles in The Terminal List
combating subscriber churn for Prime Video, with down in the dark watery catacombs of that opening are Taylor Kitsch (top) and Jai Courtney
this twisty conspiracy thriller based on the novel act; The Terminal List is an unforgiving watch if your (above, left)
by Jack Carr. display has a relatively low peak HDR brightness.
Of course, if the picture seems overly dark, the VERDICT
Pratt plays Navy Seal commander James Reece, solution is to turn HDR o and stream in 4K SDR, The Terminal List
whose platoon is all but wiped out in a booby- which at least ensures a brighter picture level. And
trapped underground passage while on a mission because there are not many highlights in the grade, ➜ Prime Video
to take down an Iranian terrorist. bar explosions and spot lighting, you’ll not be WE SAY: Another competent
missing much. VOD actioner, buoyed by the
Reece su ers concussion during the chaos, which Sound: Presented in 5.1, The Terminal List's audio is performance of its leading man.
appears to confuse his recollections of the incident. distinctly televisual. The soundmix is skewed to the Movie:
He can’t quite reconcile his memories with audio LCR, with the rears lighting up during the various Picture:
taken during the event, or his subsequent amnesia; action sequences. For much of the time, your sub Audio:
‘my timeline’s a little fuzzy’, he declares with some is hanging around with not much to do. Series music
understatement. Is PTSD warping Reece’s perception is by Ruth Barrett, whose credits include Jed OVERALL:
of reality, or is there a wider conspiracy afoot? Mercurio's The Bodyguard, and it’s e ective, albeit
generic. Still, when you needle drop the likes of Black
There’s a lot of talent on parade in this eight- Sabbath into a mix, you can’t go far wrong. SM
episode series. Executive producer (and opening
episode director) is Antoine Fuqua, responsible for
Training Day, The Equalizer and Brad Pitt’s upcoming
comedy-actioner Bullet Train. Cinematography
is split between Armando Salas, who also lensed
Ozark, and Evans Brown (True Blood).

The Terminal List is predictably big on visceral
action and low on humour, but it’s a territory Pratt
knows well, as he ri s on his character in the Jurassic
World trilogy, and Prime Video stablemate The
Tomorrow War. The actor handles the action scenes
with believable brawn, but there’s also depth to his
portrayal of the mentally fraught Seal commander.
Picture: The show streams in 4K HDR10+
on compatible devices, but su ers from a
preponderance of dark sequences. Pratt isn’t the

➜Ms. Mar el

Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel is actress Iman ➜ Disney+ changes made to Kamala’s power-set from the
Vellani's first ever screen role Marvel Studios’ latest six-episode streaming series comics (tying them closer to the character’s cultural
introduces audiences to a relatively new superhero heritage), it results in Ms. Marvel feeling like a unique
– Ms. Marvel having made her comic book debut in piece of the MCU. The directing team, which includes
2013. It also introduces a star-in-the-making in the Bad Boys For Life helmers Adil El Arbi and Bilall
form of charismatic young lead Iman Vellani. Fallah, also deliver what's arguably the most visually
ambitious live-action Marvel outing to date. The
Vellani plays 16-year-old Pakistani-American series embraces the graphic possibilities of its comic
high schooler and self-confessed Avengers fan-girl book roots and – in the process – finally discovers a
Kamala Khan, who over the course of the show’s cinematic way of depicting text messaging on screen.
first episode acquires powers of her own when
she comes into possession of an antique bangle. Unlike its more standalone Disney+ predecessor
Kamala’s subsequent journey to discover the source Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel is firmly entrenched in the
of her abilities (taking her from Jersey to Karachi) MCU. As well as a visit to AvengerCon, and the return
– and how they impact her family and friends – of the Damage Control agents last seen giving Peter
forms the crux of this six-episode series and is Parker’s chums a hard time in Spider-Man: No Way
undoubtedly its biggest selling point; the heart and Home, it builds towards the title character's silver
humour overcoming some mundane action scenes screen debut alongside Carol Danvers in next year’s
and lacklustre villains. movie The Marvels. AvB

Another of the show’s strengths comes from its
exploration of modern Muslim culture. Together with

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

6 uс£20
LIMTOIIMNTELEYD

Hi-Fi News Hi-Fi Choice Home Cinema Choice
SAVE 44% SAVE 42% SAVE 44%

DON’T MISS OUT! SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

SUBSCRIBE SECURELY ONLINE

www.mytimemedia.com/6for20

OR CALL 0344 243 9023** & QUOTE 6FOR20

LINES OPEN MON - FRI - 9.00AM - 5.00PM GMT

Calls are charged at the same rate as standard UK landlines and are included as part of any inclusive
or free minutes allowances. There are no additional charges with this number. Overseas calls will
cost more.

TERMS & CONDITIONS: Offer ends 31st December 2022. *UK print subscriptions offer only. Subscriptions will begin with the first available issue in 2022. MyTime Media d8M\[K`\X Zck_[
collects your data so that we can fulfil your subscription. We may also, from time to time, send you details of MyTime Media offers, events and competitions but
you always have a choice and can opt out by emailing us at [email protected]. Please be aware, by opting into our communications, we may contact you with offers
by email/post/phone. We do not share or sell your data with/to third parties. Details you share with us will be managed as outlined in our Privacy Policy here www.mytimemedia.
co.uk/privacy-policy. Issue frequency is subject to change. Current yearly term varies per issue. Please visit www.mytimemedia.co.uk/terms for full terms & conditions.

98

Catalogue classic

Get Carter ➜ Ultra HD Blu-ray, BFI

Anton van Beek is a big man, but he's in bad shape – unlike the BFI's new 4K restoration of
Mike Hodges' classic 1971 crime film starring Michael Caine

‘FOR ME, IT was a chance to show gangsters The original enough?’), Carter starts stirring up trouble among
as they really are,’ wrote Michael Caine, in his poster art for the local gangsters and his own bosses back
autobiography What’s It All About?, of his decision Get Carter depicts in London. His own two-fisted investigation
to take the starring role in 1971 movie Get Carter. the gangster in a uncovers corruption and, ultimately, the shocking
’The tradition in British films up to that point, with floral-patterned realisation that Doreen, his underage niece (or could
the exception of Graham Greene’s Brighton Rock, jacket – which that be daughter?), has been lured into the world
was that gangsters were either funny or Robin Hood he never wore of pornography.
types, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. in the film...
Not a realistic portrait, as I think you will agree.’ Brutally real
Fact file
Caine certainly got his wish. Jack Carter was a For former television director Mike Hodges,
world away from Charlie Croker, the likeable, cheeky Year: 1971 meanwhile, Get Carter was a chance to step up
ex-con the actor had played in the 1969 comedy Director: Mike Hodges to the world of narrative filmmaking. Following
The Italian Job. And, although the character is seen Screenwriter: Mike Hodges (from a meeting with producer Michael Klinger, who held
reading a copy of Raymond Chandler’s 1940 novel 1970 novel Jack's Return Home) the screen rights to Lewis’ novel (and also happened
Farewell My Lovely near the start of the film, he’s no Producer: Michael Klinger to admire the director’s 1969 television movie
Marlowe-esque hero either. Cast: Michael Caine, Ian Hendry, Suspect), Hodges set to work in what he describes
John Osborne, Britt Ekland, Bryan as a ‘white heat’, writing the script, scouting the
Instead, Carter acts every bit the amoral sadist, Mosley, George Sewell, Petra locations, casting the film, and commencing
using violence as a first, last and everything- Markham, Geraldine Mo at shooting within just six months. ‘Because it all
in-between resort when dealing Running time: 111 minutes happened so fast… I knew exactly what I wanted
with men and women alike. Studio: MGM-British to do,’ recalls the writer-director.
It’s only really some moments
of gallows humour – and the The result of this rapid-fire turnaround, with
fact that the people responsible no time for Hodges to second-guess himself,
for his brother’s death are so was, as film critic Kim Newman puts it in the
much worse – that we remain new commentary that accompanies the BFI’s 4K
firmly on his side. restoration, ‘a script [where] there’s not a word
wasted. There’s not a shot wasted in this film…
Talk of the 'toon there’s nothing you’d change’.

Quickly adapted from the 1970 As for why this story in particular, Hodges saw
novel Jack’s Return Home by British crime author the crime genre as a way of highlighting the ills at
Ted Lewis, Get Carter follows Newcastle- the heart of British society. ‘I noticed that a lot of
born career criminal Jack Carter as he returns home
after years in London, following the death of his
brother. Not convinced by the official verdict handed
down by the police (‘since when was that good

HOME CINEMA CHOICE AUGUST 2022

PLAYBACK EXTRA 99

American gangster films, the B-movies in particular, movies that year – including Sam Peckinpah's Straw Britt Ekland had only a minor role
were really quite political’, revealed the filmmaker Dogs, Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange and as gangster's moll Anna, but was
in a Q&A session at the BFI Southbank earlier this William Friedkin's The Exorcist – that used still fourth-billed in the credits
year. ‘And all those American authors like Raymond the loosening of censorship restrictions to
Chandler… were analysing society more clearly than push at the boundaries of good taste. It still did Disc details
straight authors. So I just adopted [the gangster reasonable business at the UK box office, but
genre] because it could reveal so much. without the critical acclaim to keep its place in the Available to own
public consciousness, the film largely faded from from July 25, the
'It’s not just a story, it’s actually showing, as Carter view for decades. Conversely, while Get Carter was BFI’s Ultra HD
does, the state of the nation… It’s the whole of Britain more appreciated by reviewers in the US, it barely Blu-ray features
at that time. Well, it still is.’ troubled the box office there, being dumped onto a brand-new 4K
restoration of
As part of this, Hodges brought a socio-realist drive-in cinemas on a double-bill the original
approach to the material. Caine may have been with the Frank Sinatra dud Dirty camera negatives, with HDR10 and
a big star, but the filmmaker surrounded him with Dingus Magee. Dolby Vision grading, approved by
character actors in an attempt to ensure that no Mike Hodges. Extras include an
matter how larger than life Jack Carter might seem It wasn’t until the 1990s that introduction by Michael Caine, two
at times, the world he operated in always felt real. Get Carter re-entered the pop commentaries, an isolated score,
culture sphere in a meaningful way. interviews, trailers, location report,
Hodges also changed the story’s setting to UK 'lads’ mags' had turned Caine script gallery, and an 80-page book.
Newcastle upon Tyne in order to both reflect Carter’s into a cultural icon, and several
grim, rough-hewn character and highlight the of the characters the actor Double-bill it: Pulp
extreme poverty and deprivation of the area. portrayed in the 1960s and '70s
‘I had never witnessed misery like this in my own (including Harry Palmer, Alfie The year after Get
country. It was like Charles Dickens meets Emily Elkins, Charlie Croker and, yes, Carter, writer-
Bronte, written by Edgar Wallace,’ remarked Michael Jack Carter) were now supposedly director Mike
Caine after the shoot. Hodges
aspirational symbols of re-teamed with
The film, lensed by documentary photographer- ‘cool Britannia’ style and Michael Caine
turned-cinematographer Wolfgang Suschitzky, unreconstructed masculinity. The film’s profile was for this darkly
would also turn out to be a snapshot of a world further raised by praise from directors including comic shaggy dog story about
that would soon disappear as the city Quentin Tarantino (who called it his favourite British a pulp fiction novelist (Caine) hired
underwent extensive redevelopment movie) and Guy Ritchie. to ghostwrite the autobiography
in the following decade. of a retired actor (Mickey Rooney)
First and best known for both playing gangsters
Cultural icon and hanging out with them in real
While Jack Carter’s onscreen fate meant that Get life. And then people start dropping
Although it is treated as a stone-cold Carter would never have a sequel (although Lewis dead… Arrow Films released a 2K
classic of British cinema today, when did follow it with prequel novels Jack Carter's Law restoration of Pulp on Blu-ray in
Get Carter first screened in UK theatres and Jack Carter and the Mafia Pigeon), it’s renewed 2017, accompanied by a quartet
in March of 1971 it received a mixed popularity some 25 years after its debut caught the of new interviews.
response from critics. For some it attention of Hollywood. This resulted in a glossy
was just another in a line of brutal 2000 remake starring Sylvester Stallone as Carter
(and Michael Caine in a di erent role), which was
John Osborne (right) and Bryan every bit as terrible as you’d expect – more
Mosley (below) played villains interesting, at least as an adjunct to the original, is
Cyril Kinnear and Cli Brumby the 1972 US film Hit Man, a blaxploitation take on
Lewis’ original novel.

At the end of the day, though, there’s really only
one Get Carter. Hodges' film is a brutal crime thriller
that's as lean and mean as it titular anti-hero, and
one that over the past few decades has finally
received its due ■

AUGUST 2022 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

Missed an issue?

Have you missed a copy of Home Cinema Choice? You can now order these online

Issue No.321 Issue No.322 Issue No.323 Issue No.324

Issue No.325 Issue No.326 Issue No.327 Issue No.328

Issue No.329 Issue No.330 Issue No.331 Issue No.332

Order Online: d8M\[K`\X Zck_[
www.mags-uk.com

Please note that we cannot guarantee the availability of all issues displayed above.