2022-07-01 Best Buys - Audio & AV

HI-FI & HOME ENTERTAINMENT REVIEW SPECIAL FROM

19

RINESVIIDEEW!S

SSOOULNUTDIONS 2022#2 A$9.99

Myoeue'tvethGeOnTetxot-hgeeanr!gear NZ$11.99 (inc. GST)

MEGA-MOVIES
& MOBILE MUSIC

New top performers in TV,
projection & headphones

REVIEWED INSIDE: Anthem · Audio-Technica · BenQ · Bowers & Wilkins · Cambridge · Chario
Cyrus · Denon · Epson · JBL · KEF · March Audio · Musical Fidelity · NAD · TCL · Yamaha

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With advanced pixel-shifting technology* and dedicated processors for resolution
enhancement and HDR, the EH-LS12000B delivers an exceptionally sharp 4K
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This isn’t just a new way to watch movies — it’s the best way.
www.epson.com.au/LS12000B

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CONTENTS 06
13
BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2 41
70
HOW TO...
08
Six ways to improve your system
How to choose a projection screen
How to choose loudspeakers
How to choose headphones

HI-FI SOURCES

Cambridge Audio Alva TT V2 turntable

AV IMAGE UHD projector 16
UHD projector 20
BenQ X3000i Mini LED television 24
Epson EH-LS12000B
TCL 55C835

AV SOUND AV preamplifier-processor 28
Panorama 3 soundbar 32
Anthem AVM 90 sound lozenge & subwoofer 36
Bowers & Wilkins
Polk MagniFi Mini X

LOUDSPEAKERS

Chario Academy Sonnet stereo loudspeakers 42
46
KEF LSX II active wireless speakers 50

March Audio Sointuva WG stereo loudspeakers

HI-FI AMPLIFICATION

Cyrus i7-XR stereo amplifier 54
Denon PMA-900HNE
Musical Fidelity M6x Vinyl stereo amplifier with HEOS 58
NAD C 700
phono stage amplifier 62

BluOS streaming amplifier 66

HEADPHONES headphones 72
headphones 76
Audio-Technica M50xBT2 & M20xBT headphones 80
JBL Tour One & Tour Pro+ TWS
Yamaha YH-L700A

3

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www.futureplc.com Tel +44 (0)1225 442 244

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HOW TO

SIX WAYS TO IMPROVE related to the furniture in the room and
YOUR SYSTEM the reflective surfaces it has.

Finding the perfect gear is one thing; getting the If your room is sparsely furnished,
best from it can be quite another. Consider the basics, with wooden or tiled floors and/or a large
add a few tweaks, and you can reap the sonic rewards. glass area, there’s a high chance that it
will sound bright and aggressive. There
There you go, then — a turntable, has a distinct sonic signature, made up of could well be strong reverb when you
a streamer, amplifier, speakers. reflections and resonances dependent on speak, and such effects will make your
You’ve made your choices and the room’s size and construction, as well as system sound cluttered and tiring. High
got your hi-fi system. And you the way it is furnished. frequencies may dominate and make the
did it right, checking reviews, making a sound lack natural warmth.
shortlist, auditioning and buying at your Walk into any room in your house and
local dealer. start talking. You’ll find your voice sounds Conversely, a heavily-furnished room
a little different in each room. Kneel down absorbs a lot of the higher frequencies and
Now everything is back at home and and talk with your mouth near the floor can therefore leave your system sounding
connected with care. It’s sounding good. and you’ll hear the bass increase; those dull and unexciting.
But is it as good as it could be? across the room will notice this even
more — that’s just the floor effect messing The ideal? You guessed it — striking a
There are influences at work in any with the sound, and every wall, door and balance. If the space is packed with hard
hi-fi system besides just the kit itself — window in the room will have its effect. surfaces, add absorbing materials such
factors that can affect the quality of the as rugs or carpets on the floor between
sound you get from your carefully-chosen At low frequencies (where wavelengths the speakers, or shelves filled with books.
components. We’ve listed the biggies here, are longer) your room’s behaviour is Heavy curtains are a great option in front
with ideas to help you make your system characterised primarily by its size and the of large glass areas, and heavily stuffed
the very best it can be. Some improve- materials it is built from. Solid brick walls sofas also work a treat. By the same logic,
ments are completely free; others will cost and concrete floors tend to hold on to bass reduce the amount of absorption material
a bit, but can be implemented as funds energy; wooden-framed partition walls if your room gives a dull listen.
allow, and will often yield benefits beyond and suspended floors tend to let it escape
their price. And in the end your system — but not before they flex in sympathy, If you want to get really serious,
will sound all the better for the attention. creating unwanted sound in the process. consider dedicated room treatments, which
range from affordable to ‘sell your car’
1: Get the room right Small rooms tend to have more issues crazy money. All custom installers and
with uneven low frequencies, particularly most hi-fi stores can advise, though most
The room in which you listen is arguably if any of their dimensions — length, will offer a single preferred solution, and
the biggest single influence on the width, height — are similar to each other. given the price differentials between such
performance of your system. Every room Higher-frequency issues are more often solutions, it can be worth talking with
more than one provider to see what’s on
offer. It’s an important tip to look for the
person as well as the kit, since individual
expertise in assessing and fixing a room
can be even more important than merely

6

BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

the tools they use. If the process is done 3: Racking up Make sure any spikes used in the stand
properly, it will provide a blank canvas on are tight, as for spikes used on the base of
which your system can truly shine. Where do you put your system electronics? floorstanders. If those spikes aren’t fully
Not where you might think. The best done up and properly adjusted so that the
2: Careful with the speakers option is to get the system as far from the speakers don’t rock around on the floor,
speakers as possible, because speakers you’re wasting a good deal of the potential
Speaker placement is a major factor that create vibrations that can affect the of your system. Bass lines will sound soft
can influence how your system sounds. electronics, and especially a turntable. and less well defined while dynamics
And this really isn’t hard, especially as will somewhat compress. Tightening and
you will likely find the manufacturer’s It’s ironic, then, that the classic in-store levelling spikes is free! Don’t neglect it.
recommendations in the literature that or hi-fi show demo set-up invariably sits
arrives with your speakers. Of course the system between the two speakers. This 5: Signal and mains cables
some speakers are more accommodating is not optimal. It does have the advantage
than others, but all will sound best when of symmetry in appearance (and in cable Some people get very worked up over
put in their rightful place. runs), and is often a practical solution, but cables. We don’t — they’re necessary
aside from the vibrations, stuff between for your system to work, and in our
Most recommendations are to follow the two speakers adversely affects the experience good ones make the most of
a triangle rule, with the speakers forming system’s ability to stereo image. the kit you’ve bought. How much do good
as close to an equilateral triangle with ones cost? Well, that depends, but as a very
the listening position as possible. If the Once you decide where to put it, rough estimate, consider spending around
speakers go much further apart, the on what do your electronics sit? We’d 10-15% of your system cost on cabling.
sound will spread but it’ll be increasingly highly recommend a good support rack,
delivered only at a diminishing sweet spot further isolating the system from external There are a few dealers that won’t
right in the middle. If the listening position vibrations. The difference will be particu- mind lending you a cable to try at home
is far back, elongating the triangle, you’ll larly notable compared with the popular (usually with a deposit as security), so you
lose width to your soundstage while also but ill-advised habit of stacking gear on top can make sure you’re happy before you
receiving less acoustic power from your of each other. (If you must do that, at least commit to a purchase. Of course, there’s
speakers. (Quick tip for a free upgrade: put the heat-generating amplifier on the ownership bias there too – it’s harder
you can increase your apparent amplifier top, not the bottom.) to take something back than to buy it.
power by sitting closer to your speakers.) Trial-at-home offers rely on this effect.
Good racks are expensive. But think of
Another question is how far out from it as furniture, and technically-designed In terms of housekeeping, keep the
the wall should the speakers be? Certainly furniture at that, and they look a little less mains and signal cables as far away from
experiment with this, but the majority pricey. How to choose? Difficult, as there each other as possible when plugging
of speakers sound best when they are are, as elsewhere in hi-fi, disagreements up your system. Also try to plug your
significantly out from the rear wall — and over high or low mass, rigidity versus electronics into mains sockets that
keeping them well short of side walls decoupling. But make sure it’s level. are close to one another, rather than
is equally important. A 50cm gap is a separated across the room, or with some
good place to start but, if practical, more If a hi-fi-specific rack is out of your on a multi-way adaptor while others are
distance can clarify sound, at the cost budget, just use the best and least resonant plugged straight into a wall. This will
of some bass reinforcement. A corner shelving you can afford, or make! minimise the chance of slight potential
placement is the most extreme in this differences developing between the
respect, with the multiple boundaries 4: Stands and spikes electrical earth that each product sees,
potentially producing the kind of low creating hum issues in your systems.
frequencies that slow the sound and There are very few bookshelf loudspeakers
swamp the midrange. that don’t sound better on proper stands. 6: Cleaning connections
That’s partly because, as we’ve already
It’s also worth playing around with mentioned, speakers rarely perform All electrical connections use metal-to-
how much the speakers point towards well next to a rear wall. And because metal contact, from the plug that goes
the listening position. Some listeners toe bookshelves rarely provide the sturdy into the power socket right the way
them in, to aim straight at their ears, others non-resonant support we’ve just discussed through to the interconnects that link
toe them further, to cross in front of the as equally helpful for the electronics. your sources to your amplification. These
listener. This may progressively tighten contact points tend to oxidise over time,
their focus and imaging, though at the cost There are a great variety of speaker affecting the quality of the connection. So
of narrowing the soundstage. If tweeters stands available, from column types once a year it’s well worth undoing all the
are a little too bright, firing them straight that can be filled with sand or similar system cables — including those for the
down the room instead of at the ears can to add mass, to more lightweight frame speakers — and then disconnecting and
tame them somewhat. Some owners will types. Some speakers have stands which reconnecting them three or four times.
be forced to keep them straight anyway, by are designed especially for that model, This cleans the metal surfaces that make
an aesthetically inclined partner! though to be honest, the speakers will the connection. The result? Small but
likely perform pretty much as well on any significant potential improvements to the
So it’s dependent on the speakers, the good stand, with a few exceptions which sound — and most importantly it doesn’t
room and those you live with. But experi- actually add functionality or design flair. cost a cent, or take much time.
mentation here can make big differences. Much comes down to the style of support
used during a speaker’s development,
which you’re very unlikely to know.

7

HI-FI SOURCES

CAMBRIDGE AUDIO ALVA TT V2

TURNTABLE

This attractive turntable is unusual in keeping a full focus on sound quality,
including a bespoke moving-coil cartridge, while still bringing convenience
features such as its own internal phono stage, and the ability to play via Bluetooth.

Y es, everyone loves vinyl again, goal, but it retains useful abilities for down at phono level, ready for a superior
from the Prime Minister to all those wanting something practical, stage, separate or otherwise, either now
the kiddies listening to Triple J. rather than entirely esoteric. or as a future upgrade path. That wasn’t
We all want a turntable — or possible on the previous Alva turntable.
if you have one already, you’re probably Equipment
wondering if you might get a better one. We should also praise Cambridge
There is, for example, a phono stage for including a high-quality pair of
There’s a funny thing with turntables, built into the Alva TT V2, so you can interconnects in the box, not your usual
though — the higher you go, often the have its output playing straight into a thin freebie wires. There’s also now an
less you get in the way of facilities. normal line-level input on any amplifier. earthing cable added for those running
Turntables at lower prices can be angled It’s a good phono stage too, derived at phono level, and an earthing post on
towards convenience, helping out directly from the company’s Duo phono the deck, not previously needed on the
inexperienced vinyl users with automatic stage, which we’ve previously reviewed previous line-level-only Alva TT model.
operation, easing connections with a separately. It’s a no-nonsense reliable and
built-in phono stage, even adding some high-quality phono stage for the price, Of course the big trick with this
extra innovations like USB and Bluetooth. though not a bells-and-whistles phono turntable is that you don’t have to use
stage (like, say, the Musical Fidelity unit cables at all. It can output via Bluetooth
But at higher prices, manufacturers elsewhere in this issue). It doesn’t allow to any Bluetooth speaker, to a Bluetooth-
tend to take all those things off again, anything in the way of cartridge gain equipped hi-fi system, or straight to a
because the goal becomes instead sonic matching, no ability to switch between pair of wireless headphones, and we can
purity above all else. Anything which RIAA curves. Inside the Alva TT it just tell you that playing vinyl to headphones
might be a source of noise, or tracking gets on with the job, and will likely is a wonderfully liberating experience.
instability, gets the push. outperform at least any phono stage built
into a price-comparable amplifier. The Bluetooth option also frees up
Which makes the Cambridge Audio positioning greatly; you can place your
Alva TT, now fresh in a version 2, But flick the switch next to the rear turntable wherever you have a level
something of an outlying turntable. It outputs and you can have the signal back surface available, and then you need
clearly has purity of sound as its main only connect a power cable to it.

8

BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

There is, of course, a quality issue with spun to move the groove along beneath first!), we were ready to play. We checked
Bluetooth — cables will undoubtedly the stylus. While the ST turntable uses the the speed using the RPM iPhone app;
deliver better sound, even if your receiving belt-drive method most common in hi-fi this indicated a slight speed deviation
device can match the aptX or aptX HD turntables, the Cambridge team has gone at 33.13rpm, and put wow and flutter
Bluetooth codecs that Cambridge has with a medium-torque direct-drive motor at 0.18%, rather more than Cambridge’s
included here. The aptX codec tops out for the Alva TT V2, as did its predecessor, quoted 0.06%. However, our Sound+Image
at a bit rate of 384kbps, and aptX HD the TT. This motor has eight poles, which strobe card indicated no speed deviation
at 576kbps; clearly neither of them can along with the heavy platter inertia aims whatsoever, and we’re happy to take the
losslessly transmit CD quality (1441kbps), to combat cogging (where the rotation opinion of a reliable mechanical device
let alone the 24-bit high-res that aptX slows between the impulses from each over an iPhone app any day.
HD claims, rarely mentioning that it is pole), while the brushless DC motor is
throwing away more than half the signal quartz-controlled for accuracy. Direct The Alva TT V2’s sound took just a little
lossily to achieve it. There is no simply drive was traditionally reserved more for while to warm up, a little flat of emotion
such thing as lossless high-res Bluetooth DJ decks, as it can spin a disc up to speed and dynamics through an initial four
(yet), no matter what people may tell you. faster than belt drive; direct drive was sides of Nick Drake and two of Donovan.
Hence cables invariably sound better. traditionally considered a noisier, less Once either warmed or loosened up,
isolated mechanism with cogging issues. however, the music started flooding out.
Whether you’re using the sockets or t The performance of the Alva TT v2 shows Prompted by the recent resurrection of
he wireless output, the signal originates that the differentials have been closed up Kate Bush via Stranger Things S04, we
from the stylus of the cartridge bouncing significantly, if not entirely. We’ve never pulled from the racks one of our three KB
around in the groove. The supplied have picked the Cambridge as direct drive ‘Remastered in Vinyl’ box sets, extracted
cartridge here is a bespoke moving-coil from its sound. ‘Hounds Of Love’ and sat back to enjoy
design, this type more sensitive (though side one, the ‘singles’ side.
lower output) than moving-magnet Performance
cartridges. Cambridge doesn’t say that Aside from a slight smoothness and lack
it is specifically the same as its Alva MC Unpacking and setting up was easy — of airiness, we’d challenge anyone to guess
cartridge, which is available separately screwing in the headshell, adding the arm this was vinyl at all. The gaps between
for something around $900, but it weight, slotting in the hinges and attaching tracks were entirely silent, no vinyl crackle
certainly looks like it; the stats and the the smoked cover. No belt to attach here! to give away the medium, while the
lunar-grey finish match, and it has the We were very impressed by the look of the spread of sound was wide and full across
same elliptical stylus on the end of an Alva, especially the 6mm-thick lunar-grey our speakers. The bowed strings on the
alarmingly long exposed cantilever aluminium plate which tops the composite- title track, more spiccato than staccato,
(which Cambridge says reduces the wrapped MDF plinth, separated by a layer emerged full and rosiny from their position
unwanted resonance and vibration that of rubberlike EVA to absorb vibration. panned hard left. The sliding fretless
can occur in a longer cartridge shell). bass of Eberhard Weber rolled along
A stylus gauge is included to set the with substance and solidity as Fairlight-
Another change for this latest version tracking weight to precisely two grams. generated crashes and tinkles punctuated
of the Alva TT is a detachable screw-in That done and cables attached (do that the wide-open landscape of Mother Stands
headshell, which will simplify any
swapping out of cartridges compared with
bolting screws into tonearm slots, as on the
previous deck. We’re pleased to see also a
new anti-skating dial to apply force against
the inward pull of the groove; this was not
thought necessary on the original Alva TT.

The tonearm is a new selection as
well — a high-mass, low-resonance design
used on both the Alva TT V2 and a less-
expensive Cambridge turntable, the Alva
ST. Indeed much of the overall design
is similar for that $1799 ST design, but
this premium TT V2 has the moving-coil
cartridge over the ST’s moving-magnet,
and upgrades the ST’s aluminium platter
to a 20mm-thick 2.2kg stone-like platter
made from polyoxymethylene, also known
as polyformaldehyde, an engineering
thermoplastic designed to minimise
resonances in the system.

But the biggest difference between the
two turntables is the way the platter is

9

HI-FI SOURCES BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

For Comfort. The magnificent Cloudbusting at the end of playback (just in case we’ve versatility to use or not use its excellent
lit up the room and hurled goosebumping fallen asleep), but if they also auto-lift and built-in phono stage, or to do away with
bursts of joy all over us. drop at the beginning, then a 10-inch disc signal cables and listen via Bluetooth.
can be a disaster. That proved a joy for headphone listening,
We just had to flip the LP over for ‘The though we’d recommend cabling to a
Ninth Wave’ sequence filling the whole While we spun some Beethoven (his music system to enjoy the very best this
of side two. The cinematic placement second, and especially the Larghetto), we deck can offer in all circumstances.
of voices on the intro to Waking the connected a pair of Bluetooth headphones.
Witch is testament to the resolution of This connection was a little trial and error CAMBRIDGE AUDIO
the moving-coil cartridge here, as is the — you’ve got no display to show what’s ALVA TT V2
tight delivery of this track’s insane vocal happening, so you put your headphones
splicing, and the contrasting open spaces in pairing mode and put the turntable • Detailed moving-coil sound
and tight kick drum of the subsequent in pairing mode then just hope they • Built-in MC phono stage
Watching You Without Me. shake hands somewhere in the middle. • Bluetooth out with aptX HD
This took three attempts with a pair of
The Alva TT V2 doesn’t overegg the shiny new Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 ANC • Great looker
warmth of vinyl, and it keeps the full wireless headphones, but thereafter we
picture clean and clear as a result. The were striding around the home enjoying • Fully manual
1984 debut LP ‘The Sentinal’ by neo- a little surface noise with our wireless • Not the last word in dynamics
proggers Pallas was not considered a good music. This is great fun, and there’s plenty
record of the band’s real sound; they later of level available (controlled entirely Price: $3699
remixed it, bringing in a far more solid from your headphones), with plenty of
bass component for digital releases. But range too — we were 15 paces away in Type: Direct drive with static balanced
the original vinyl mix proved well-suited to the garden before the drop-outs came tonearm and detachable headshell
the Alva when played through its internal (they were rather noisy when they did).
phono stage, the bass perhaps more lean For system playback we’d really suggest Speeds: 33¹/₃, 45 rpm
Rickenbacker than full Fender, but the lush wiring up the Alva TT if you can, but we
keyboard layers and Mellotron both well do very much recommend direct-from-disc Motor torque: 1.6kg/cm
separated into individual components and headphone playback as a marvellous way Quoted wow & flutter: <0.1%
combined into a glorious whole. A little to relax, especially as von Karajan pushes Platter: 305mm-diameter 20mm-thick
more surface noise on this LP, but hey, it’s the Berlin Phil to ever greater heights. POM (polyoxymethylene)
been well-played over nearly 40 years! (This 1976 German DG re-issue cost $3 at a Outputs: RCA phono/line (switchable),
local record fair, and is immaculate. Score.) Bluetooth SBC/aptX/aptX HD
The Art Tatum Trio on an Australian The Bluetooth connection may not do the Tonearm: one-piece aluminium
10-inch pressing were nicely propelled dynamics any favours, but that’s small beer casting, effective length 221.5mm
along, perhaps a little smoothed of next to the joys of wireless vinyl freedom. Cartridge: High output moving coil,
dynamics but with a stable and well-toned elliptical stylus, aluminium cantilever
piano sound speaking to the Alva’s speed While talking about the convenience Output: 2mV @ 1kHz
stability. Here the MC cart didn’t really factor, praise also for the tapered edge to Tracking force: 2g
get among the spaces (harder on a mono the platter, which thereby fully supports Recommended load: 47kΩ
recording perhaps), and we have heard the disc but allows your fingers to get
more spritely delivery of this set from easily under the LP to remove it. Internal phono stage
decks at similar prices, from Rega for one, THD+N: 0.0025% @ 1kHz
a brand coming to Australia through the Verdict RIAA accuracy: ±0.3dB 30Hz-20kHz
same local distributor.
The Cambridge Alva TT V2 is one great- Dimensions (whd): 435 x 139 x 368mm
With Mr Tatum appearing on a 10-inch looking deck that benefits sonically Weight: 10.9kg
disc, we were pleased the Alva TT is fully from its solid construction and superior Contact: Synergy Audio Visual
manual with no automatic operation. We moving-coil cartridge, while offering Telephone: 03 9459 7474
quite like decks that lift and return the arm Web: www.synergyaudio.com

10

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BUYING GUIDE BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

HOW TO CHOOSE A
PROJECTION SCREEN

Leaving the projection screen as an afterthought can seriously damage
your overall home cinema performance, warns Paul Kutcher.

There is a danger when you are consideration, its value in the system performance possible. The projection
creating a home theatre and compared against that of the projector. screen is an important part of the overall
considering your components. projection solution which involves a
The projector you choose is This attitude is highly prevalent, but combination of the projector, the screen
loaded with technology; you will want it is very wrong. Projectors are indeed and the room itself.
the latest options and best specifications. packed with technology, and yes, there
The screen, however, is a piece of fabric are screens that are nothing more than Poor screen selection will display
stretched into a frame. So it seems that fabric stretched into a frame. But the an image well short of optimal. It can
this should be only a fraction of the cost role played by the projection screen is remove the enjoyment and excitement
of the projector, right? Often the screen absolutely critical in determining the of the cinematic experience — the ‘wow’
becomes a secondary or even tertiary final picture outcome. A system needs factor. So when going through the design
to be optimised for the best image and equipment selection process, pay

A 160-inch acoustically-transparent
Stewart Filmscreen in an award-
winning home cinema installation by
Signature Cinemas. IMAGE: Studio Kai

13

BUYING GUIDE

PROJECTION SOURCE

Screen Gain versus Viewing Angle for
Stewart Filmscreen’s SnoMatte 100, a
matte white screen formulated to meet
the strictest uniformity standards. The
arrows to the right show how incoming
light is scattered equally in all directions
— a Lambertian diffuser.

MATTE WHITE LAMBERTIAN SURFACE

PROJECTION SOURCE

Screen Gain versus
Viewing Angle for

Stewart’s StudioTek

130 G4. The diagram

to the right shows

how light from

the projector is

channelled towards

the viewers, while

rejecting ambient

cross light.

particular attention to the item often One common specification of projection we mentioned above, screens are passive
given the least thought and respect: the screens is their gain, a measure of devices that are unable to amplify light?
projection screen. how bright the surface is compared to Well, there are indeed no free lunches
a reference standard of magnesium with screens, but one specification can be
The case for gain carbonate, a white chalky substance increased alongside a decrease in another.
that is specified as having a gain of In the case of adding gain to a screen to
First and foremost, it needs to be 1.0. Magnesium carbonate is called a make it brighter, we reduce its uniformity,
remembered that projection screens are ‘Lambertian diffuser’ because all light so that it redirects light in a preferential
passive devices. They cannot amplify falling upon it will be reflected in an equal pattern — that is, we make the screen more
light to make it brighter, but they can pattern in all directions — from wherever directional. This decrease in uniformity
be engineered to have specific optical you view this illuminated surface relative directs more of the projected light into
properties which redirect the available to the light source, the brightness will the viewing area, and away from the side
light in a preferential dispersion pattern. remain the same. For all intents and walls. Cross-reflected light will also be
Optical elements in the screen can provide purposes, matte white screens approach reflected across the screen based upon its
specific traits or be tinted to enhance this ‘ideal’, though there are only a few gain characteristics, rather than back into
performance in certain conditions. surfaces that are considered true reference the viewing area.
Lambertian surfaces. (See Figure 1 above.)
So while a screen doesn’t amplify light, So not only do we now have a brighter
a high-quality screen is able to enhance the The downside with matte white screens image, we have also mitigated some of
image by compensating for a projector’s is that although they are very uniform the cross-reflection issues — see Figure
weaknesses, ensuring that room artefacts in their reflectivity, that greatest strength 2. Be aware that in this illustration the
are minimised in the displayed image. is also their greatest weakness. Their dispersion pattern applies in both the
uniform diffusion will also reflect any vertical and horizontal planes based upon
Poor screen selection ambient room light, and this unwanted the angle of the projected light.
will display an image cross-reflection light on the screen surface
well short of optimal. has the detrimental trait of reducing image However, as we increase the screen
It can remove the contrast, which can result in images that gain, we also need to ensure that the
enjoyment and look washed out and devoid of ‘pop’. projector’s optics are a suitable match for
excitement of the the increased gain. Should the projector’s
cinematic experience — By adding a degree of gain to the optics be too short for the gain of the
the ‘wow’ factor. screen, so making the screen brighter, surface, there will be visible ‘hotspotting’
the effects of cross reflections can be on the screen. Hotspotting is an artefact
reduced. How do screens do this when, as where a part of the image is brighter

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BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

than the area around it. This hotspot will the black floor of the projection system and are better at maintaining image contrast
follow you around the room dependent shifts the grey scale down, reducing image with ambient light present. How do they
upon the direction of the projected light. brightness according to the screen gain. do this? As mentioned, a grey base lowers
It is therefore important to match the the black floor of the projection system,
screen gain with the optics of the projector For example, Stewart Filmscreen’s thus improving black levels. By adding
to avoid hotspotting. All good screen Snomatte/StudioTek 100 is considered the gain elements to the surface to increase
manufacturers will provide gain charts reference matte white screen for post- brightness, the surface is more directional,
for their surfaces outlining not only the production and colour grading applications. thus focusing more of the projected
dispersion angle of their surfaces, but also It is a Lambertian surface that offers a light into the viewing space while cross
a recommended minimum throw ratio near totally uniform image across the reflections will be shed across the screen
for the surface in question. The minimum entire screen surface. It has a peak gain of surface where they have less of an impact
throw ratio is typically based upon the 1.0 and never approaches half gain. on the image as viewed from the audience.
image width.
But Stewart also has a grey Lambertian Screen time
Another benefit of having a brighter surface, GrayMatte 70, which has a peak
screen surface is that it will assist when gain of 0.7; it features the same The information here only touches on
projecting HDR images. It is much more Lambertian characteristics as Snomatte the considerations needed in the decision-
difficult to achieve high on-screen 100 but at a lower brightness point. We making process for selecting the most
brightness in a typical home theatre than it have deployed GrayMatte 70 in a few suitable projection screen for a home
is with a flat-panel television. While there home theatres where short optics have theatre. But the most critical takeaway is
are high-end projectors that certainly can been used to achieve a larger image size to give the projection surface its due in
achieve sufficient brightness in a home for the space. The GrayMatte surface then the first place. Considering the screen’s role
theatre environment, the majority of produces a uniform image while offering as part of the overall projection solution,
home theatre projectors simply lack the a degree of ambient light resistance as not as a standalone afterthought, will go
brightness to compete in this regard with the grey base assists with absorbing room a long way to ensuring that you enjoy
a TV. A projection screen with increased cross reflections. the best results of which your projector
gain will assist in increasing the on-screen is capable, and the best possible image in
brightness to compensate for this. Speaking of grey screens, why? Grey your theatre. Paul Kutcher
screens were originally developed for
Going grey the home theatre market 20 years ago STEWART FILMSCREEN
to compensate for what was then low- PROJECTION SCREENS
There are also relatively rare occasions contrast performance in lamp-based
when there is too much brightness on a projectors, though the technology Contact: Visual Fidelity
screen. In these cases, a screen having a had also been used decades earlier in Telephone: 03 9338 8995
lower gain is able to reduce this brightness. commercial applications. While the Website: www.visualťdelity.com
Screens having a gain lower than 1.0 will contrast performance of projectors has
typically have a grey base, which lowers dramatically improved since then, grey
screens offer another side benefit: they

15

AV IMAGE

BENQ X3000i terrestrial catch-up channels, plus Disney+,
Stan, Prime (with a direct access button
UHD PROJECTOR on the remote), Binge, Kayo, Paramount+,
Apple TV, Tubi, and many more. The
Don’t leave it only to the gamers: BenQ’s X3000i is obvious omission is Netflix, not BenQ’s
a serious projector capable of handling movies and fault since Netflix has been slow at
streaming for all-round bigscreen entertainment. licensing its app for projector use (we’ve
had several other projector companies
BenQ headlines this as a ‘console has new larger flipping micromirrors in its tell us they are in similar discussions).
gaming projector’, part of the four-flash delivery of Ultra High Definition. Meanwhile the QS01 can support Netflix
company’s ‘X’ gaming series. It via the included Wireless Projection app
has specalised gaming features, So gamers may swoon for its bigscreen from a Chrome browser on another device,
yes, but it’s equally suited to more general low-latency immersion, but we’re equally or more easily and reliably simply by
entertainment, coming as it does with happy to load up a movie and kick back. having something plugged in by HDMI.
consumer 4K resolution, HDMI inputs,
built-in speakers and even an Android TV Android smarts That’s something we’d recommend
stick to give it a smart streaming interface for critical viewing: a connected device,
for standalone operation. The X3000i is designed to work firing whether a gaming console, a Blu-ray
upwards from a table, or firing down from player or a media player like an AppleTV
Despite its friendly operation and a ceiling mount, or conceivably situated 4K. The QS01 Android stick offers great
appearance, this is a serious projector. upside down on a high shelf... though that convenience and vast content, and you’ll
Pictures of the X3000i often don’t suggest would be a fairly deep shelf. Usefully all its likely use it much of the time. But it does
its full size: it is 27cm wide and 20cm high, controls and air vents are on the sides, so have a fixed 60Hz output, potentially an
reaching back 26cm in depth. it could be ‘hush-boxed’ easily, not that it issue with 50Hz (Australian TV content)
turned out to need hushing. and even 24 frame-per-second movies.
This large cabinet gives it room to From Stan, for example, a long pan across
employ a 4LED light source, which adds There are two UHD-capable HDMI mountain ranges in the opening scenes
a bonus blue/green LED to the previous inputs on the back of the X3000i, but also of The Summit was notably juddery via
3LED ecosystem, thereby boosting a hidden third input in the housing space the QS01 stick’s Stan app, but rock-steady
brightness and colour luminance. for the QS01 Android TV dongle. With when played via cable from the Stan app
this installed and connected to your home on an AppleTV 4K set to follow native
And it has the very latest in DLP Wi-Fi network, the Android TV interface frame rate. From an external input in this
projection technology, incorporating makes available some 5000+ apps, BenQ way, the projector indicated all frame rates
Texas Instruments’ DLP650TE, which says! For Australia this includes all the operating correctly in the information
pane that appears with each change of
input, and we witnessed no judder.

Having said that, the projector seems
quite adept at damping down 50 to 60Hz
conversion that the QS01 might perform
on, say, ABC iView originals. Pans during
Gardening Australia did have slight judder,
but rarely enough to distract, which is good
performance given no motion controls are
included on this projector to smooth the
way with frame interpolation.

Brightness and colour

The larger micromirrors used in the DLP
projection here promise higher brightness,
which gains still further from the 4LED
light source. 4LED adds an additional
blue ‘pump’ LED to the 3LED ecosystem,
converted to green via ceramic phosphors
to boost green output by 40%, and
deliver a claimed 8%-12% increase in
brightness overall when compared to
a 3LED projector.

The result is an impressive 3000 lumens
of illumination, and also better colour
control, with claims to cover 100% of

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BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

ways to deliver four separate pixel There of the X3000i projector; there’s an HDMI
positions on-screen. The 0.65-inch are three socket there and a USB slot to provide
DMD used in this projector contains ‘preset’ game the dongle with power.
1920 x 1080 of these mirrors, which modes: for role-
via some cunning geometry are used playing games (RPG), This is the same stick used in other
four times to deliver the full Ultra High first-person shooters BenQ projectors; according to BenQ’s
Definition resolution of 3840 x 2160. (FPS), and sports games literature it uses Android 9.0, but ours
The new DMD used here is larger than (SPG). All of them invoke seemed to be running version 10
previous 0.47-inch four-flash DMDs. a ‘fast mode’ which bypasses (firmware 2.00.07), indicating useful
enough processing to ensure those upgradeability is possible.
the DCI-P3 wide colour gamut. Accurate minimum response times, while
colour has long been a BenQ strength, differences between the modes lie in Android also brings Chromecast,
especially in delivering excellent out- colour choice and audio processing. Note enabling you to ‘cast’ from a Chrome
of-the-box performance in this regard, that in all these scenarios, the use of the browser direct to the QS01. This casting
with its ‘CinematicColor’ references for fast mode deactivates auto-keystone. ran smoothly for us (results will be net-
colour-wheel angles and coatings. But here work-dependent), though from Chrome on
BenQ also has a way to keep the colours Setting up our Macbook Pro the casted resolution was
accurate in the longer term, with an auto much reduced. The dongle also receives
colour-calibration system that should hold We took advantage of the X3000i’s ability via AirPlay, something not offered by most
colour temperature accurate. Embedded to be ceiling-mounted to position the Android dongles; from our MacBook Pro
colour sensors detect the LED’s status, projector. It has a throw ratio of 1.15 to 1.5, this delivered far superior results from a
then calibrate and correct for accurate and a zoom of 1.3×, so that with a position Chrome browser than had Chromecasting
WRGBYCM even after long-term use, by just over 3.2 metres from our screen the in terms of resolution, though it did
which they mean 20,000 hours, something zoom lever on the side could vary the re-introduce judder on the mountain
like ten times that of bulb technologies. screen size from around 98 inches up to pans of The Summit where none were
133 inches diagonal. We used a 100-inch visible on the screen doing the casting.
With reference to its dedication to screen, so had a considerable brightness As mentioned, best results were from
colour, BenQ recently became the first bonus over the maximum stretch. HDMI-connected sources.
projector manufacturer in the world to
earn Pantone SkinTone Validation, “the Focus is manual, controlled on a Having an Android TV interface also
first science-based system” for matching second side wheel next to the zoom; this allows Google Voice Assistant and Voice
and reproducing human skin tones. ring is nicely weighted and responsive, Search, for which there is a voice button
so that it’s easy to achieve accurate focus on the remote.
Gaming angles which stays accurate.
Colour and brightness
This projector’s greater brightness and If you can’t position the projector
more accurate colours already provide perfectly to achieve a true rectangle, We’ve got this far without fully comple-
strengths for gamers, but of course for there is keystone adjustment available, menting the X3000i for its straightforward
many games it’s also input lag that will be automatic if you wish. Using keystone image quality. We spent some time
considered critical, so that you don’t lose adjustment remaps resolution and takes optimising brightness and colour, but later,
the crucial milliseconds that allow you away some pixels, so it’s to be avoided after we did a factory reset when trying to
to shoot them before they shoot you. The if possible, though with UHD resolution fix a remote control fail, we realised that
X3000i’s input lag is quoted at 4.16ms at you’ve got far more pixels to play with BenQ’s colour performance is pretty much
240Hz in 1080p, though more realistically than on lesser projectors. There was no on the money out of the box.
for console gaming at 16.67ms for either immediately obvious quality loss in doing
4K/60 or 1080p/60, half that for the limited so here, but we avoided it anyway! And the overall image quality is
number of console games that run at magnificent. Colours are natural, yet full
4K/120 or 1080/120. That’s excellent in Android stick and vibrant; watch the intro to Gardening
projector terms, though gaming monitors Australia for an outstanding example,
(such as BenQ’s own) can drop further BenQ had already installed its QS01 or indeed pretty much any other scene,
down to 1ms or even less. Android stick under the flap in our sample where the greens and the range of greens
are wonderful, bright in the light, dulled

AV IMAGE BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

in the shade, with red and purple blooms than watchable, with its full abilities in So again, for the best results with
positively pinging out of the foliage. reserve for evening viewing. sound, use an external source, and an
external sound system. The quality of
Skin tones were never overpushed From Apple TV+ on the attached projection is such here that it demands no
into red or browned out into sepias, and AppleTV 4K we played Joel Coen’s recent less. Do it properly.
we found the only adjustments we were Macbeth with Denzel Washington and
making were to drop the sharpness and Frances McDormand, shot in black and Conclusion
tweak brightness and contrast between white and streaming at 4K with Dolby
day and night viewing sessions. But Vision HDR, and Dolby Atmos audio The apps and wireless streaming from
there are full adjustments available for available. The lack of colour — followed the included QS01 Android dongle add
RGBCMYW hue, saturation and gain. Wide to the extent of nearly all the sets being great convenience to the X3000i projector
colour gamut requires a specific selection, built in monochrome — makes this a in terms of access to services. But in a
and a relay clunk within the projector fine screener for HDR detail. The BenQ number of ways the highest available
indicates this may re-configure the light autoselected its ‘HDR10’ mode, which offers performance is unlocked by connecting via
path or colour wheel somehow. five useful adjustments to HDR brightness. HDMI, whether for gaming or for movies.
With the default middle settings, and even
We connected a Sony 4K Blu-ray without dynamic Dolby Vision information We’d also recommend an external
player to enjoy UHD content without the available, the results were fine indeed; sound system.
variables and inevitable compression of the shadows and darkness accompanying
streaming services; 4K Lord of the Rings Banquo’s opening of Act 3 left him standing Then you will unlock and ensure all
remasters first, of course, to enjoy again so forward of the screen the effect was the finest entertainment that this projector
the extraordinary detail in so many of its almost three-dimensional, and everywhere can deliver — genuine four-flash UHD
scenes. As Galdalf plunges into the abyss there was detail displayed in the darkness, resolution with qualities of detail, colour
of Khazad-dûm, there’s that magnificent even in the sheets of white mist that drift and brightness beyond the price level
CGI shot 3:35 into the Extended cCut of The across the sky. It’s a great movie for setting here, whether you’re settling back to enjoy
Two Towers where balrog and wizard fall your white and black levels! a movie or TV series, or leaning forward
through a vast cavern into water; the BenQ into a gaming adventure. For our money
rendered this fantastically, like an art work, Sound options this is hands-down the best four-flash UHD
with the motion perfectly smooth and the projector BenQ has yet delivered.
detail sufficient to make out the tumbling Built-in sound isn’t an ideal audio solution
demon, while the close-ups before and for a projector, especially for a larger BENQ X3000i
after are a wonder of dynamic detail. projector which is likely to be behind you. UHD PROJECTOR
Yet the brain is good at adapting to what
When we switched to the UHD Blu-ray you’ve got, and we ran a fair amount of • Excellent colour and imaging
remaster of My Fair Lady there was no casual material this way to hear what the
missing that the opening rainy scenes are speakers are capable of. We were able • High brightness
all about the dresses emerging from the to sit directly in front of the projector’s
Opera House — such colours, such detail! ceiling position to allow it half a chance, • Easy set-up & Android TV
There’s also a smoothness and strength to since sitting to one side would defeat any
images here which may be attributable to attempt at stereo. • Too good for built-in speakers
the larger mirrors of that new DMD.
The audio system’s two “5W chamber • Best results via HDMI sources
Just occasionally we missed having speakers” both fire from the projector’s
motion settings. In the opening scenes of rear; they don’t offend, and even proved Price: $3299
Apple+’s Severance series, where the main capable of some surprisingly effective
character walks down white corridors, moments. But male dialogue could be Projection technology:
on horizontal movement there was some softened by bloom from the slight boxiness DLP650TE 1920x1080 four-flash DMD
frame-ripping visible. In LOTR some of the sound from the unit, and it’s hardly delivering 3840x2160
close-up pans over detailed ground could a wide spread of sound, even if you press Light: 4LED light engine
lose detail that motion smoothing might the top centre remote button to activate Throw ratio: 1.15-1.5
stabilise — such as in a pan over ground at ‘dynamic stereo enhancement’. (100”@ 2.5m; 1.3 zoom)
17:00 up to Aragorn listening for pursuit, Brightness: 3000 lumens
or in My Fair Lady the pans around flowers The best thing you can do for your Inputs: 3 x HDMI, USB power,
in Covent Garden before Eliza and her sound here is get it out of the box. Gamers RS-232, 12V trigger
father meet. But there was no conversion may well be wearing headsets anyway. Outputs: HDMI eARC, optical digital,
judder whatsover playing via HDMI. Otherwise we’re delighted to see BenQ stereo 3.5mm
has included not only analogue minijack Latency: 16.67ms
The 4LED’s output of 3000 lumens audio output but also an optical output (4K@60Hz, 1080p@60Hz);
proved to be bright enough to watch with which can deliver up to 5.1-channel audio, 8.33ms (1080p/120Hz);
pretty much anything except direct sun and eARC available on the HDMI 2 socket, 4.16ms: (1080p@240Hz)
hitting the screen. Obviously you won’t which might send Dolby Atmos from one Dimensions (whd): 272 x 197 x 259mm
enjoy the full contrast performance of HDMI input out to a receiver to the other, Weight: 6.4kg
which the projector is capable in daylight though we weren’t able to test this. Contact: BenQ Australia
or with the main lights on, but it’s more Telephone: 1300 130 336
Web: www.benq.com.au

18

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AV IMAGE

EPSON EH-LS12000B

4K PRO-UHD PROJECTOR

The new LS12000B projector sees Epson lifting its midrange performance
up to the next level, with high-brightness big-screen images, realistic colours
and excellent optimisation. It’s a stunning performer.

P“ ossibly our best Pro Cinema 15-element precision glass structure. The displaying four slightly separated shifts of a
Projector ever” says Epson of projector also gains an all-new Laser Array panel having native 1920×1080 resolution.
this EH-LS12000B 4K Pro-UHD Light Source, using true multi-array laser
laser projector. And after having diodes in a three-chip system that allow The natural advantages of Epson’s 3LCD
this substantial projector running our 2700 lumens of both white and colour system is in having three individual LCD
entertainment visuals for several weeks, brightness. The lasers confer far longer chips continuously in action, so able to
we’re inclined to concur. life than ye olde bulbs: 20,000 hours of full display 100% of an RGB colour signal for
brightness operation is Epson’s promise, every frame all the time. There is no need
Equipment and suffering no bulb-like fade-off in for a colour wheel to segment each frame
brightness on the way. into different colours over time, which
This is no compact tabletop projector; it’s would reduce brightness and potentially
quite the beast, measuring 52cm across, Is this a 4K/UHD projector? Genuinely introduce the dreaded ‘rainbow’ effect.
some 20cm high, and 45cm deep plus a so, it seems. Previous Epson ‘4K Pro-UHD’
little more room for cables to emerge. But projectors have accepted a 4K input but Prior to projection there is Epson’s most
this physical size gives room for a number could claim to deliver only half the count advanced video processing technology
of benefits, from output strength to (despite of pixels required for the consumer 4K to date, with a proprietary 36-bit Epson
its size) versatility of positioning of 3840×2160 Ultra High Definition. ZX Picture Processor handling real-time
colour, contrast, HDR, and frame inter-
Inside Epson has installed a large and But this time the LS12000B promises to polation up to 120Hz to deliver smoother
high-quality light engine with a proprietary yield the full 8,292,400 pixels, created by motion on lower frame-rate content.

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BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

Gaming is nevertheless supported with by pressing the big ‘Lens’ button on standard presentation anyway, and
input lag times quoted below 20 millisec- the remote either once, twice or thrice. no pull-down judder either, since the
onds, and compatibility up to 4K/120. Aside from those few systems which do projector follows whatever frame rate it
absolutely everything for you, we’ve never detects. So when we watched a couple of
There is useful deinterlacing control, encountered an easier system to set up. episodes of the ABC series Back To Nature,
with forcible off, video, and film/auto they looked immediately beautiful even
modes available. High Dynamic Range We should also praise Epson’s fabulous before we dipped into the projector’s
material is also welcome here, at least remote control, beautifully organised display settings. This is a series which
that of HDR10 and HDR10+, also broadcast ergonomically, all the main functions on really needs a UHD Blu-ray release so that
HLG where available, with full 10-bit big white keys with black writing, plus at we can better appreciate the constantly
HDR colour processing. But Dolby Vision top right a ‘light’ button which illuminates staggering cinematography (from director
HDR and its 12-bit dynamic metadata is the whole remote from behind with a quiet of photography Dale Bremner), but even
not supported. orange glow. It’s a perfect projector remote. streaming in limited resolution from ABC
iView the show looked spectacular via the
Finally, this being Epson, there is Another bonus is Epson’s improved Epson. And it’s just the thing to challenge
great attention to all-of-life eco features, menu structure here, which keeps any display less than perfect with judder
including recyclability. Epson is no sub-menus to the side but allows a full and frame interpolation, as the images
box-ticker; it goes above and beyond, scroll through everything without having rarely stop moving and panning — the
with barely a month going by without the to use the side menus. show is loaded with drone and dolly shots,
company introducing solar power for a and is served at 50Hz, not 60Hz. The Epson
factory, or removing some toxin from its We’ve been playing recently with shrugged off the challenge, with never the
supply chain, or receiving an environ- many entry-level and midrange projectors slightest slip to cadence whether we had
mental award — most recently a second that come with built-in or dongle smart the frame interpolation set to its highest
year of double-A listing by international interfaces, able to stream directly to the level, or off entirely.
environmental non-profit CDP. In this day projector, and because they thereby
and age, such credentials should be part of provide their own sources, there needs It had rather more effect on 24Hz
any purchaser’s triple-bottom-line decision. to be some way to get sound out of those material, however. The Netflix doco
projectors at some level. Here there’s no Explorer: The Last Tepui includes some
Performance such dongle and absolutely no provision grand vistas of its own, and one pan out
for audio output whatsoever, other than from a close-up of an Amazonian rock
We were first impressed by the wildly the HDMI 2 input offering eARC, so face (24 minutes in) had just the slightest
versatile lens-shift technology Epson has potentially providing an audio output from lack of smoothness with frame inter-
installed here. There are four options for something plugged into the other HDMI polation entirely off. But if we set frame
image orientation, including two for rear input. Otherwise this can be considered as interpolation to ‘high’, that immediately
projection, and the lens-shift option is not an old-school endpoint for video, with an brought the weird video-like ultra-reality
a keystone process which manipulates the external sound system definitely required. that comes from including too many fake
digital image and thereby affects the native frames and not enough real ones. The
resolution. Instead it is wildly versatile, Gamers or other latency fiends can ‘low’ option smoothed the motion while
quoting ±96% (and ±47% horizontally) switch the Epson’s processing to either maintaining the doco’s filmic feel, and
without any loss in picture distortion or ‘fine’ or ‘fast; ‘fine’ turns off frame inter- may be a sensible option for 24fps material
clarity, so that we were able to lower the polation, and the ‘fast’ option goes further, (i.e. most movies).
image perfectly into place without having turning off both noise reduction and MPEG
to turn this 13kg projector on its head. noise reduction. Back on AppleTV 4K streaming, another
fine action tester is Netflix’s Formula 1
The trio of set-up controls — lens There seems remarkably little penalty
shift, zoom, and docs — are all accessed in doing this if you wish, since there’s
so little judder evident in the Epson’s

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AV IMAGE BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

Drive To Survive, which its fans will know certainly works, with colours increasingly price, with sensible defaults chosen but
offers some of the most visceral sports popping as you select a higher number, still full offering optimisation available for
coverage ever streamed in 4K, at 60Hz, without any visible washing out of darker those wanting full calibration. Consider
and with HDR10 available. The bigscreen areas. Ultimately we felt a low number its bulk to be extra value, since its very
Epson presentation put us very much in — 2 to 4 — was enough to gain its merits size enables many of its greatest abilities,
the driver’s seat, the race scenes almost without overegging reality. yielding a full level of performance a
pinning us back through the sense of level above projectors around the $5000
acceleration and speed. This was also What was wonderfully clear was that price level. The price of its truly cinematic
a fine test of detail, whether revealing the light output here may be quoted at images is worth paying for.
individual faces in detailed crowd shots, 2700 lumens, but it’s far brighter than
or the beautiful landscape cinematography some other projectors we’ve tested which EPSON
when the series leaves the main events. quote similar numbers. Running this EH-LS12000B
projector is entirely possible with a side
We looked at colours, too, and reckoned lamp on, even with some daytime light-fall • Bright and brilliant
the Epson impressively defined not only on the screen; obviously you will then lose • Improved UHD reconstruction
the various skin tones but also the precise the subjective darkness of blacks and dark • Excellent optimisation
papaya of McLaren, that Alpine pink, and detail, but the image doesn’t wash out in • Easy set-up; good defaults
the Mercedes-Petronas Green (#00A19C in the way that cheaper or smaller projectors
web hex-triplet terms). Nothing of the full using other technologies do. • Not a compact projector!
4K experience seemed remotely tempered
by the Epson’s front projection — this is This may be partly the benefit of its Price: $8999
a series we’re used to watching on one of 3LCD system in delivering colour as well as Projection system:
the world’s best 75-inch 8K TVs, so that one whites to 100% brightness, but the quality 3LCD (3 x 0.74-inch panels)
might expect motion or colour or pinpoint of the light engine and the phosphor laser Resolution:
clarity to suffer, and it’s a tribute to the sources surely also contribute. And those UHD via 4 shifts of 1920x1080
LS12000 that the show remained every bit things need a large cabinet; this is when Light source: laser diode
as impactful‚ sometimes more so — when you appreciate the benefits of going with Light output:
viewed on a 100-inch projection screen. the physical size of the LS12000B. 2700 lumens (white & colours)
Contrast ratio: 2,500,000-to-1
The HDR implementation here is 10-bit, As for that geometrically obscure Screen size:
without the scene-by-scene metadata delivery of UHD from the 1920×1080 148-908cm (50 to 300 inches)
adjustment available on Dolby Vision. It elements, there was nothing about the Inputs: 2 x HDMI (one with eARC),
does support HDR10+, though that remains sharpness here that we could criticise, USB-A (settings/updates only),
rare, and compatibility will depend on and a test pattern with single and double service port, Ethernet, RS-232C
your source equipment. UHD pixel lines was fully resolved at the control, trigger out, optical HDMI
two-pixel level, and nearly so at a single Dimensions (whd):
But in the absence of dynamic pixel level. Certainly the lift in quality 447 x 520 x 192.7mm
metadata, Epson has here built in a Scene above a full-HD image is obvious. If native Weight: 12.7kg
Adaptive Gamma correction system which 4K designs do have a technological edge
attempts a similar thing on an ad hoc basis, which should clarify single-pixel details, Contact: Epson Australia
adjusting the colouring according to the we never felt the Epson was lacking in this Telephone: 1300 361 054
scene to deliver a more vivid image. regard during real-world viewing. Web: www.epson.com.au

This Scene Adaptive Gamma can be set Conclusion
from 0 to 20: selecting a larger number
increasingly tweaks the gamma levels, This is a magnificent projector, notably in
whether within SDR or HDR content. And it bringing laser UHD delivery at a thrilling

22

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Quality that sings for itself.

Audio Dynamics Pty. Ltd. | audiodynamics.com.au | Phone: (03) 9882 0372 | logistics@audiodynamics.com.au

AV IMAGE

TCL 55C835 But TCL’s Mini LED TVs this year hit an
astonishing 2500 nits in its top C93 range,
4K MINI LED TELEVISION while this C83 range has peak brightness of
1500 nits, still significantly above the best
TCL’s latest 4K 55-inch television shows how OLED performance by this measure.
Mini LED screen technology is now challenging
OLED performance levels across the board. Wide viewing angles are easy for front-
emissive OLED compared with back-lit
By 2024 TCL hopes to launch a the quality of this 55-inch C835 4K Mini LCDs, which commonly fade in brightness,
new panel technology: ink-jet- LED television, it’s hard to imagine how colour and contrast as you leave the main
printed (IJP) OLED, which is IJP OLED could make things any better. viewing position. But not TCL’s latest Mini
being developed by its subsidiary LED TVs, which use VA vertical-alignment
China Star Optoelectronics Technology. This Equipment LCD panels that widen the viewing angle
RGB variation of front-emissive OLED may using what it calls TCL Demura Tech.
enable better colours than existing ‘white’ Consider, for example, brightness. There
OLED panels, which nearly all OLED has been some kerfuffle this year that But before getting deeper into the
brands currently source from LG.Display. the top new OLED panels have upped screen tech, let’s cover the essentials.
their brightness by 20%, marking the first This is a 55-inch 4K (3840 × 2160)
Meanwhile TCL has been developing solid such increase in a good few years of television, a nice looker which presents
Mini LED as its lead interim screen tech. OLED stagnation. At peak brightness they almost nothing but the screen image to
But you know what? Given the price and can now hit around 1200 nits. the front, having a teeny 2-3mm picture
surround and a 1cm bottom bezel.

The Mini-LED backlighting prevents
real superslimness in depth, but the top
third of the TV nevertheless extends only

24

BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

3cm deep, doubling to 6cm for the bottom was driven at six-bit resolution, allowing contained — by giving each Mini LED
section with circuits and connections. a range of 64 steps of brightness. Last year a rounded halo instead of the more usual
that was raised to 256 steps, and this year square one.
As is TCL’s habit, those connections are to 4096 steps (control is calculated at 16-bit
all on the right side, and are generous, with levels, then the LEDs driven at 12-bit). Gamers get a Game Centre for game
four HDMI inputs of various calibre up to streaming, part of all TCL’s Google TVs,
full-bore 48Gbps operation for 4K/144Hz This directly improves dynamic range, while Xbox X/s and PS5 are fully supported
or 4K/120 gaming. The HDMI 4 input also and takes Mini LED beyond OLED’s around for 120Hz in 12-bit, as is 144Hz PC gaming,
offers HDMI eARC audio delivery to a 19 ‘stops’ (iterative doublings of brightness) and with VRR and AMD FreeSync support
connected receiver or soundbar. Optical to 22 stops for this C835. That promises to to prevent tearing and stuttering Input
digital audio out is also available, and a make the most of the TV’s full compatibility lag is stated as down to 6ms for the fastest
stereo analogue headphone minijack. with HDR profiles, which runs to HDR10, refresh rates, or 18ms for a UHD+HDR
HDR10+ if you can find any, plus Dolby game in 4:4:4 colour at 60Hz.
There are two USB-A slots for file replay Vision. TCL also notes the importance of
or for storage to allow pausing, recording the high 7000:1 native contrast of its VA Performance
and timeshifting of live TV. Along with panel in delivering the TV’s high contrast
the antenna connection there’s Ethernet and HDR performance. This TV was pleasingly easy to set up, its
networking (or built-in dual-band Wi-Fi), central stand requiring six screws to put it
and a minijack AV input for which a Then there’s colour — TCL’s Mini LED together and four more to connect it to the
splitter cable is provided to plug in RCA claims to deliver fully 100% of the DCI-P3 back of the TV. Extensive plastic coverings
cables for audio and composite video. colour volume (compared with OLED’s need removing, but once in position and
~70%) and 79% of Rec.2020 as well, not plugged in, Google TV fires up, connects
This is a Google TV, so a great many that there’s any Rec.2020 material to to your network and downloads locally-
apps are available, including all the main enjoy. TCL has also addressed blooming relevant apps automatically. You choose
streaming services and Australian catch-up and halo effects — where the brightness more and add your various subscription
channels, but extending to many more, of an isolated element is not sufficiently details as you open each of the apps.
including Tubi and AppleTV+.

Google TV also comes with Google Voice
built-in, of course. The TCL doesn’t itself
react to a ‘Hey Google’ command, but uses
the remote control as an extension. You
can make useful requests like ‘Switch to
HDMI 1’ or ‘Mute’, ‘Unmute’ and so on.
For those of the alternate voice service
persuasion, the C835 can also be connected
to Alexa smart devices.

Besides physical inputs and apps
you can throw video to the TV using
Chromecast, but also MiraCast and this
year AirPlay 2 video from Apple devices.
The supplied remote is a good medium-size
wand with its buttons fairly intuitive, and
further handy in providing six dedicated
buttons for Netflix, Stan, Prime Video,
Disney+, YouTube and the ‘TCL Channel’.

Screen technology

The backlight Mini LEDs here are grouped
in dimming zones which TCL says are
sufficient to exceed the resolution capa-
bilities of the human eye — 240 locally
dimmable zones in this 55-inch C835
model, up from 128 in last year’s C825
55-incher. It may be noted that this pales
beside the zone counts in TCL’s top C935
range this year, where the 75-incher has
1920 zones, but there’s more to the LED
performance than zone count. TCL has also
dramatically improved on the resolution
with which the LEDs are driven. Back on
TCL’s X10 in 2019 (a Sound+Image award-
winner at the time), each individual LED

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AV IMAGE BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

We left the TCL on casual duties for introduced an excessively clean ‘video’ We should also compliment the audio
the first few days, adjusting Picture Mode look. The lowest settings left notable quality of this TV, branded to Onkyo, with
where necessary for different material. judder over long panning shots, or where a lively and well-balanced performance
Backed by the panel’s 120Hz refresh rate cinematography was less than perfect. from stereo speakers which seem to fire
(200 CMR) the results were extraordinary. We settled quite high — 6 or 7 — for both down from the base of the TV, while a rear
You couldn’t ask for a better motion test settings as a compromise across material, “subwoofer” about 75mm in diameter fills
than AppleTV+’s spectacular surfing series and also left the Clear LED Motion toggle things out well enough. The sound is a
Make or Break, and here the brightness, activated, as it seemed to minimise any little boxy and constrained, so that it’s not
the three-dimensional isolation of a subject pasty video effect and deliver the most going to outperform a pair of hi-fi speakers
against a background, the popping of accurate colour palette. or even a decent soundbar, but it’ll get you
colours, the detail within action scenes: it through the day without insulting your
really was next-level performance. Skin The post-credit scene on the UHD ears in the manner of a budget flatscreen.
tones, UHD detail in those skin tones: we Blu-ray of Paddington 2 was one rare time
couldn’t believe how little effort we had to we saw slight halos on moving characters Conclusion
put into tweaking settings to achieve great and strobing of iron fence spires passing
results. This may be the first TV where by at speed. The picture mode had there In general terms TCL has been boasting
we never once touched the colours, other self-selected Dolby Vision IQ, which turns for several years that Mini LED can
than returning the defaulted ‘warm’ colour off the motion menus, but by switching to equal OLED’s darks while having superior
temperature in ‘Movie’ and Dolby Vision Dolby Vision Dark (or Bright if you prefer), peak brightness, average brightness,
modes to something more neutral. you can then access the motion settings dynamic range and colour volume, and
again, and also lift the Warm palette to no possibility of burn-in.
In Episode 3 of the surf series there’s something more neutral. Et voila, a
a shot of a packed stand at Newcastle’s magnificently detailed but smoothly filmic The magnificent performance of the
Hunter Stadium (see above); you can take on this delightful movie. C835 at its price confirms this, and leaves
discern pretty much every face among the us pondering two things. Firstly, if this is
hundreds on screen; you could probably The same tactic delivered a stunning how the C835 performs, what on earth
ID the lot of them with face recognition if portrayal of The Two Towers (UHD Blu-ray do images from the superior C935 look
you wanted, so sharp is the imaging. extended edition), the opening logos like? And secondly, after another two
surrounded by blackness so complete that years developing Mini LED TVs, will even
In some modes the ‘Motion’ menus, we couldn’t detect any grey whatsoever, TCL’s promised inkjet-printed OLED TVs
which allow control of blur and judder and the film then delivered with a thrilling be able to compete with such impressive
reduction, were maxed out at 10, which sharpness that lifted the film’s often-muted performance at a reasonable price?
palettes and kept us watching scene
You can discern pretty after scene (yet again). There were also TCL 55C835
much every face among remarkable results when upscaling from
the hundreds on screen; standard Blu-rays and even from DVDs. • Delivers the true promise of 4K
you could ID the lot of • Startlingly real UHD images
them with face recog- As usual we got on well with Google TV, • Default settings good
nition if you wanted, a familiar interface for many users now, • Upscales well
so sharp is the imaging. and easy to navigate. It could still be more
integrated; it doesn’t keep an eye on TCL’s • Plastic protection tricky to remove
own ‘channel’ of live and on-demand TV, • Nothing else to knock at this price
for example. But on the whole, easy to use.
Price: $1999 (65” $2999, 75” $3999)
Resolution: Ultra HD (3840 x 2160)
Average brightness: 500 nits
Peak brightness: 1500 nits
Inputs: 4 x HDMI (4K/144, 4K/120, 2 x 4K/60),
2 x USB 2.0, minūack composite AV
in (with adaptor), Ethernet, dual-band
Wi-Fi, Chromecast, AirPlay 2
Outputs: HDMI eARC, optical digital,
3.5mm analogue audio, Bluetooth
OS: Google TV over Android 11
Dimensions (whd): 1227 x 704 x 68mm,
1227 x 789 x 280mm with stand
Weight: 16.7kg (stand adds 2kg)
Contact: TCL Australia
Telephone: 1300 738 149
Web: www.tcl.com/au

26

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AV SOUND

ANTHEM AVM 90

AV PREAMPLIFIER + PROCESSOR

Designed as a range-topping technology leader, Anthem’s
AV processor provides for the highest quality of AV systems
up to 15 channels, plus four differentiated subwoofers.

If you’re building a stereo hi-fi system, that support the full 48Gbps bandwidth video inputs. Wi-Fi or Ethernet networking
the amplifier is its heart, combining for 8K/60Hz or 4K/120Hz pass-through. enables music streaming and more; the
input switching, volume control, And there are no fewer than three AVM 90 will also become Roon compatible.
and the amplification to drive your HDMI outputs — two mirrored and one
speakers. Serious hi-fi, however, may have independent Zone 2 output that is able Gamers have support for Variable Refresh
separate preamplifier and power amps, to play a different source to that in the Rate (VRR) including both Freesync and
splitting their tasks into physically separate main room. All three outputs support an G-Sync, as well as Auto Low Latency Mode
boxes with specialist roles and a reduced enhanced Audio Return Channel. (ALLM) and Quick Frame Transport (QFT).
possibility of interference between the two. True HDMI 2.1 functionality throughout
How many channels are you planning the AVM 90 ensures full compatibility with
It’s the same if you’re building a home for your speaker layout? 5.1.2 Dolby current PS5 and Xbox sX consoles.
cinema. You may be considering an AV Atmos perhaps? Or moving up to 7.2.4,
receiver which combines the switching, so 11 channels plus dual subwoofer In short, the AVM 90 is fully equipped in
processing and multichannel amplification outputs? Keep on going — the AVM 90 has every way, and most likely over-equipped
required for surround delivery. But if support enough for up to 15 channels in for many users in some of them. It is
you’re aiming for something spectacular, a 9.4.6 configuration, and that’s with four Anthem’s flagship home cinema product
again you can separate those functions, independent subwoofer outputs, so you with the lot, the full Canadian Monty you
buying one or several power amplifiers might term this 19-channel capability. might say, with trimmings, red jacket and
plus an audio-visual preamplifier, more broad-brimmed hat.
commonly called an AV processor. It has processing for Dolby Atmos,
of course, also the currently lesser-used Anthem has been moving rapidly in
Equipment DTS:X. It handles and passes on HDR video recent years since its core team regained
as HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and supports ownership. It has launched a whole new
That’s the role of the AVM 90 from IMAX Enhanced. There are four sets of suite of AV products — three AV receivers,
Canada’s Anthem brand, and it’s a job that analogue audio inputs at line-level plus a three power amplifiers (two, three and
the company clearly takes very seriously. phono stage for a turntable, three optical five channels), and two AV processors, of
How many HDMI inputs do you need? audio inputs (and an output), and two which this AVM 90 is the higher model.
Four, five? The AVM 90 gives you seven, coaxial digital inputs, though it has entirely As such it gains top-tier components, such
all of them HDMI 2.1 (HDCP 2.3) inputs abandoned legacy composite or coaxial as 32-bit/768kHz DACs, 0.01% tolerance
resistors and six-layer circuit board design.

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BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

Anthem Room Correction any browser on your network — on your or create entirely new ones, up to 30 in
computer, your iPad, even your phone. total, allocating to each the choice of video
The AVM 90 also includes the latest Up pops a super-friendly and frankly socket, audio socket, the ‘speaker profile’,
generation of ARC, Anthem’s Room addictive interface with which you can the use of Anthem Room Correction,
Correction system, which has its roots in do all the key set-up for everything — lip-sync delay, volume trim and post-
the ‘Athena’ project of Canada’s famous from defining your surround system and processing. Make the changes in the web
National Research Council (NRC). Regular setting its basic parameters, through to interface and they’re immediately actioned
readers will know that we’re ambivalent renaming and even re-creating all the and reflected on the unit’s front panel. It
about some automatic room compensation inputs. Second-screening all your settings works perfectly, and looks great.
systems, but Anthem’s ARC is one of those in this way is a great advance.
for which we make an exception, simply The ‘speaker profile’ to be chosen will
because it seems to work, to genuinely The rear panel has no speaker binding be is one of four you can set up, also via
improve sound in a room, and to do so posts, of course, because this is a processor, the Web User Interface. These may include
obviously when you switch it on and off. not an amplifier. But the back panel is sub-sets of your main layout for, say, stereo
packed nonetheless (see below). The music use. Indeed these are so handy that
It also benefits greatly from the ability pre-outs are offered on both balanced XLR it might be useful to have more than four.
to use Anthem’s Web User Interface from and unbalanced RCA sockets, so that’s 19
any browser (see screengrab left). This XLR outputs and 23 RCA phono outputs, Listening sessions
class-leading interface assists greatly since there’s also a pair of fixed line outs
when setting up, as well as offering some (also an optical output) and a Zone 2 We confess we well under-utilised the
genuinely different options during use. audio feed. RS232 serial and IP control AVM 90’s 15-channel processing abilities by
connections will allow easy compatibility connecting up only a 5.1.2 system, adding
Setting up with third-party integration solutions a five-channel power amp for centre, rears
including Crestron, Savant, Control4 and and height channels plus mono power
The AVM 90 is a large unit: full width, RTI. And there’s a full-size headphone amps for the front left and right channels.
double height, and it follows the striking output on the front panel. We did enlist other amplifiers to expand
redesign that began with the recent STR the system, but the mix of brands (and
amplifier series and continued into the What’s not included? There’s no USB-B processing delays in the case of the NAD
new AV receivers — a stylishly-fonted for direct computer playback, nor much C 700) was doing more to affect the sonic
modern graphic display dominating the in the way of built-in streaming services, integrity than staying with a smaller
entire left half of the fascia, with a single though there is AirPlay 2 and Chromecast system. The ideal, of course, would be
large knob to the right, flanked by a trio of and Bluetooth for point-to-point streaming. to have a full channel count of Anthem
small buttons on each side. Indeed the receiver cannot itself stream power amplifiers to hand.
music direct from the internet in any way,
The new fascia layout and display except for Spotify Connect, although Roon We set a main speaker profile for our
make it easy to use the supplied remote compatibility is listed as coming soon. 5.1.2 system, but also stereo variants for
control to shuttle through the options and 2.0 and 2.1 so that we could listen to stereo
settings available, but once you discover All the inputs are easily selected music with or without the subwoofer in
the Anthem Web User Interface, we predict and ready to work out of the box, but circuit. And finally we made a 4.1 layout,
you’ll start spending a lot of time with it. Anthem’s ability to define virtual inputs which we find to be a useful alternative
As soon as the receiver is networked, check changes everything. It’s a great system: configuration when playing back
its network menu to get its IP address you make changes to the standard inputs 5.1-channel music.
(e.g. 192.168.1.10), then type that into

29

AV SOUND BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

With our sources (TV eARC, an AppleTV characters on screen do so. The Anthem (because of network switches, we were
4K, UHD Blu-ray and a Thorens turntable) delivered this rapid throwing of weight advised, and sure enough when we put the
all connected, we began listening in impeccably. Expect to see this sequence unit on Wi-Fi, it appeared immediately).
stereo with vinyl, proving the quality and regularly as a surround-sound test reel! We switched to a ‘beta’ firmware in our
musicality of the Anthem’s phono stage. final days with the AVM 90 when we heard
We couldn’t resist a bit of surround music The remote control proved excellent, that the software was not yet finalised.
as well, playing the whole Beatles ‘Love’ save a slightly slow reaction to volume
music DVD in DTS 24/96 and loving the ramping and a sticky ‘volume up’ button More generally we’d appreciate better
results from the Anthem playing to our on our sample unit. documentation: even online it’s combined
4.1-channel speaker profile. Then some with documentation for other models,
Atmos Spatial Audio from Apple Music After a few days of absorbing the while the included quick guide is way too
in 5.1.2: surround music through a full Anthem’s performance, we opened the minimal for a product of this complexity.
system continues to thrill us, and the carton’s smaller second box with all the A large picture of the back panel where
Anthem proved an able partner. bits required for Anthem Room Correction. you can read all the input legends would
The full-sized microphone here impresses, be useful for when you’re peering over the
Our last music listen was the latest 2L as does the microphone stand that lets back trying to identify which of the many
label’s Blu-ray/SACD release of Jan Gunnar you more easily position the mike for sockets is the Height 1 output, etc.
Hoff’s ‘Home’, which offers 5.1 DTS-HD at the multiple measurement positions
24/192 or 7.1.4 Atmos at 48kHz. You’d think required after downloading the ARC Conclusion
7.1.4 might be overkill for a solo piano Genesis software to a laptop, attaching the
recording, but the hall ambience (a nicely microphone to the computer via USB. Otherwise it’s another triumph from the
reverberent Stormen Concert Hall in Bodø, Anthem team at Mississauga HQ (the
Norway) is gorgeous and the recording As with our last experience of the AVM 90 is built rather closer, in Vietnam).
captures every nuance of the performance. system, we liked the results and left them We love the look, we love the virtual
If you want the last word in ambience, the engaged. The corrected sound seemed inputs and how the speaker profiles can
Anthem’s decoding brings it to whatever notably cleared of low-end muddle, so that be applied to them. We are fans of Anthem
speaker complement you can give it. the spinning battle in Doctor Strange was Room Correction: both its implementation
even more clarified in its sound swings. and the results it achieves. All these make
Moving up to full movies, Doctor Strange You can turn the ARC result on/off easily to the high-quality and effortless processing
in The Multiverse of Madness on Disney+ is hear the changes that are being made. of the AVM 90 easy to implement, so that
a most entertaining piece of sound design, you can enjoy the highest levels of home
especially when its Dolby Atmos delivers a A newly-acquired UHD Blu-ray of cinema presentation.
full rotating circle of effects (around 1:14) Peter Jackson’s King Kong confirmed the
as Wanda battles Maria Rambeau (who is Anthem’s processing ability with DTS:X, ANTHEM
Captain Marvel in another universe... yes delivering impeccable detail to every AVM 90
it’s complicated). The sound team clearly corner, whether New York streetscape
enjoyed this so much that they didn’t pause or jungle creepy-crawlies, giving our • Powerful 15-channel processing
the spinning of sound even when the connected amplification the best possible
source material with which to work. • Versatile web interface
Anthem’s flagship home
cinema processor comes Meanwhile the ability to ‘second-screen’ • Industry-leading room correction
served with the lot, the that Anthem Web Interface on a phone or
full Canadian Monty tablet made ongoing soundfield tweaks an • Minor issues on sample unit
you might say, with easier and more intuitive process than for
trimmings, red jacket any other brand of receiver we’ve tested. Price: $10,999
and broad-brimmed hat.
All totally positive, then; any negatives? Inputs: 7 x HDMI 2.1, 4 x analogue
We did have a number of software line-level, 1 x moving-magnet phono,
glitches: our preferenceslost several times, 3 x optical digital, 2 x coaxial digital,
a failure to initiate test signals via the Web 1 x USB-A, IR in, RS-232, Ethernet,
Interface, the ARC software having trouble 2 x Wi-Fi antenna, AirPlay 2,
finding the processor on our network Chromecast, Bluetooth
Outputs: 3 x HDMI 2.1 with ARC (two
mirrored + Zone 2), 1 x optical digital,
15 x line-level preout, 15 x XLR
balanced preout, 4 x RCA line-level
subwoofer out, 4 x XLR balanced
subwoofer out, RCA line out,
Zone 2 audio out, headphone out,
3 x 12V trigger
Dimensions (whd): 432 x 152 x 364mm
Weight: 10.1kg

Contact: Audio Active
Telephone: 03 9699 8900
Web: www.audioactive.com.au

30

TO DISCOVER MORE CONTACT INDI IMPORTS
P 03 9416 7037 E info@indimports.com
W indimports.com /Indi Imports indimports

AV SOUND

BOWERS & WILKINS PANORAMA 3

SOUNDBAR

Soundbars are supposed to be about simplicity, but some of them are
downright complicated. Not the latest Panorama from Bowers & Wilkins.
It’s genuinely plug-and-play, with not even a subwoofer to worry about.

Soundbars are a compromise, but if anyone can pull it off, you might and a good deal of change in how we all
and they always were. From the think it would be Bowers & Wilkins. watch TV, we have the Panorama 3.
start they’ve had the unavoidable
constriction of being a long low Equipment The new Panorama is less dramatic
speaker in front of your TV. It’s hard to get aesthetically — stylish rather than
a big sound that way, so most soundbars Bowers & Wilkins wasn’t among the flamboyant. We approve of this, especially
require a separate subwoofer to add bass. earliest speaker companies that moved the switching out of a formerly mirrored
into soundbars; it waited until the market top surface — a daft thing to put below a
But soundbars have come so far that had developed, and then came in with a TV picture — for a matte painted metal
some manufacturers are now trying to do shiny high-end Panorama soundbar in grille on top, split by a horizontal control
away with the complication and inconve- 2009, with an HDMI-equipped follow-up surface, and a taut fabric wrap all around
nience of a subwoofer. It’s a difficult trick, Panorama 2 in 2013. Now, after a fair gap the bar, with angled corners at the sides.

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BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

Bowers & Wilkins has added upfiring AAC or aptX Adaptive. There is also Alexa, interaction required at all. How’s that
drivers to its new soundbar for the first and not merely the ability to connect for plug and play? The ‘Music’ app also
time, with two 50mm woven-glass-fibre an Alexa Dot, but full Alexa smarts built allowed us to confirm the commands for
cones visible through the top grille, angled into the bar itself. So you can talk to the volume up/down and mute were working
to fire forward and up. Panorama and enjoy all normal Alexa from our TV remote control, thereby
voice functionality, plus useful things like ensuring we had full command of the bar.
Also on top, closer to the centre, are ‘Alexa, mute’ or ‘Alexa, play Radio Northern
two larger 100mm low-profile bass units Beaches’, upon which it will do so. It soon offered a software update,
which deliver the bulk of the bass for which we accepted, and left it to itself.
this soundbar; there is, as mentioned, no Performance A first indication of its abilities came as
separate subwoofer here. Then along the (or just after) it updated itself; we were
front of the bar are the three LCR channels, Setting up this unobtrusive soundbar upstairs and up wafted a mightily meaty
each of which has a 19mm titanium-dome proved ridiculously simple, especially bass line accompanying Renee Geyer’s
tweeter and a pair each of the 50mm as we had just disconnected a Bowers & soulful singing from an old Countdown
woven-glass-fibre cones. Wilkins Zeppelin from the network so that show back in 1977, playing on the
we already had the company’s ‘Music’ app ABC. This was by no means a high-
We make that 13 drivers in all, in a on our smart devices. These were quick to quality soundtrack, yet the Panorama
system that can play in 3.1.2 (crediting the farewell the Zeppelin and equally quick was grabbing the bass line over its full
two 10cm drivers as the 0.1 bass channel). to welcome the Panorama, to connect it octave and a half and bouncing it up the
stairs to meet us coming down.
The bar is a fairly long one at 121cm, to our Wi-Fi (there’s an Ethernet socket
a near-perfect match for a 55-inch TV, but available for wired connection if you’re Settling in closer for more Countdown,
we used it with a 75-inch and it didn’t look able and keen), and to allocate it to a we thought the sound rather localised and
(or sound) in the least undersized. ‘Space’. We named our space ‘Soundbar’, central to the bar. But a 1977 music show
for simplicity’s sake. was perhaps not the ultimate test material,
The Panorama 3 requires just an HDMI so we gave the Panorama something with
cable to be connected to the socket on In the meantime our Samsung TV had which would stretch its abilities.
your TV which supports ‘ARC’ (the Audio already recognised that a Dolby-Atmos
Return Channel) or preferably ‘eARC’ capable sound device had been plugged AppleTV+’s Prehistoric Planet is a David
(enhanced ARC). This will then send audio into its HDMI eARC socket, correctly Attenborough dino-fest with Dolby Atmos
from the TV to the soundbar, allowing up identified it as a Panorama 3, and had sound, and sure enough this transformed
to compressed 5.1 with ARC, or uncom- started playing through it without any the bar’s performance. Nicely crisp and
pressed 5.1 and Dolby Atmos soundtracks clear narration from Sir David emerged
with eARC. There is no support at all for centre stage over a wide open soundscape
DTS, with Bowers & Wilkins telling us with such impressive delivery of little
that this is because DTS isn’t available on details that we nearly forgot this isn’t a
any streaming service anywhere (which real documentary so that the audio was
after significant investigation we have necessarily faked. There was now no
determined to be broadly true). over-centralisation — entirely the opposite
indeed, with the narration forward and the
The HDMI connection will, with luck, effects and music spread wide, and even
also allow your TV remote to control the occasional watery effects sounding as if
soundbar’s volume, via HDMI CEC. This is they were thrown far out beyond the bar.
handy because the Panorama doesn’t come
with a remote control of its own, which Over to Netflix and the spectacular
seems to be a Bowers & Wilkins feature soundtrack of Formula 1: Drive to Survive,
these days (or should we say ‘non-feature’). and again the notable characteristic of
the Panorama was an unusual ability to
There’s optical digital in as a fallback hold the centre-channel dialogue rock
solution for a TV without HDMI ARC — solid while making a powerful and wide
but then how would you control volume? delivery of music and effects. This is a
Cleverly the Panorama can actually learn show where the soundtrack is thrillingly
your TV’s IR remote commands (potentially bolstered by subwoofer content when
the commands of any other remote) in played on a full surround system, and yes,
order to operate volume/mute. the deepest gut-shaking stuff simply wasn’t
arriving through the sub-less Panorama 3.
The Panorama 3 is also a networked But it never sounded cut off at the knees;
smart speaker. It connects by wireless there was enough depth to prevent things
Ethernet or home Wi-Fi to enable Spotify from sounding lightweight.
Connect or the Bowers & Wilkins Music
app to send it tunes; the app allows paid This serves music well as well; we
access to Tidal, Deezer and Qobuz, and rewatched Queen’s opening to the UK
free account-based access to SoundCloud, Jubilee Concert and the thumps of We
TuneIn internet radio, lastfm and NTS Will Rock You had plenty of drive, the kick
Radio. And there’s Bluetooth onboard,
which allows direct streaming using SBC,

33

AV SOUND BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

drum punchy and full, the teaspoons of across the full LCR set of drivers, and the Conclusion
the Queen and Paddington nicely tinkly. centre still sounds to be EQd up a little
for cut-through, something which might It’s a brave proposition — not only a
If we had to pick a tonal flaw it would be better with its head pulled back in soundbar without a subwoofer, but one
be that the centre channel is a tad too for music content. Kate Bush’s vocal on without the usual ability to play with
pushed, and perhaps tweaked to be a Running Up That Hill was, like dialogue in sound modes that tweak (or correct)
shade edgy, to assist dialogue clarity; it is show content, a little overforward, so that things to your particular preference.
perhaps a shame that Bowers & Wilkins music never quite gained a natural pre-
has elected to keep things so simple that sentation, and discouraged us from much Well, Bowers & Wilkins succeeds
there’s no way to tweak individual channel turning it up. Most soundbars have ‘music’ here, delivering a largely plug-and-play
levels. We might have chosen to drop the modes available for additional purity, but soundbar which creates high-quality sound
centre back a notch, or have raised the L/R not the Panorama; there’s only that bass across movies, TV and music, along with
channels, especially for music. But better a and treble adjustment available via the the bonus of having Alexa built in. While
tad too much centre than not enough. . app. We did use that to pull the treble back not as aesthetically dramatic as previous
a notch or two, and that took some edge off Panoramas (or the company’s $1999
Around now we set up Alexa, which Kate’s vocal to keep things less intrusive. Formation Bar), its relative restraint better
is built in to the Panorama and just fits its task of sitting discreetly under a TV
needs activating through the Music app From Apple’s Music app on our and just getting on with the job. It’s also
using your Amazon account details. The AppleTV 4K we could play Dolby Atmos significantly cheaper than the company’s
Panorama will then respond to questions music to the Panorama 3, and this sounded previous soundbars, which can only
like any other Alexa smart speaker, fabulous. The second half of Lorde’s Solar enhance our recommendation.
and also react to requests like changing Power spread her vocals wide and high;
volume, or ‘Alexa mute’, ‘Alexa unmute’. the soundscape of Flume’s Say Nothing BOWERS & WILKINS
You can also disable the Alexa microphone (feat. MAY-A) was spacious and yet tightly PANORAMA 3
if you have privacy concerns. mapped; Rush’s Tom Sawyer definitely
lacked its bottom octave of bass but • Easy set-up, no subwoofer
This is a good implementation of voice sounded in turns fizzy and dynamic. • Good solid sound
operation, and works better than most This was our preferred path to music, • Alexa smarts built-in
systems that take their commands from a then, coming via HDMI, and especially
separate Alexa device on the network. using the bar’s Atmos processing. • No remote control
• Limited adjustments
We also used the Panorama 3 for We experienced some loudish cracks of
music, via Bluetooth at first, though we sound when selecting and starting material • Slightly edgy centre channel
later found that the Bluetooth and AirPlay from sources plugged into the Samsung TV,
sounds were, unusually, pretty similar. It’s and on the TV’s own apps. But then with Price: $1599
certainly competent-sounding with music, the TCL C835 reviewed in this issue there Conťguration: 3.1.2 channels (Dolby
and though it won’t, of course, match a were no such problems. We can’t quite Atmos, DD True HD, DD+, LPCM)
real hi-fi, the new Flight Facilities mix of blame it all on Samsung, though, as we’ve Inputs: HDMI eARC, optical digital,
Marvin Gaye’s Let’s Get It On showed how used it with plenty of other soundbars and Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Spotify Connect,
good the Panorama 3 can sound with experienced no such noises. AirPlay 2, Alexa, Bluetooth (SBC, AAC,
something big, bouncy and enthusiastic. aptX Adaptive), USB-C (service only)
However the stereo signal does get spread Drivers: 3 x 19mm titanium-dome
tweeters, 8 x 50mm woven glass-ťbre
mid/bass, 2 x 100mm bass
suoted frequency response:
43Hz–48kHz (no envelope stated)
Dimensions: 121 x 6.5 x 14cm
Weight: 6.5kg

Contact: Sound United Australia
Telephone: 1800 370 3740
Web: bowerswilkins.com/en-au

34

THE AWARD-WINNING MARCH AUDIO

The P451 is March Audio’s first The class-leading technical is used internally for signal integrity
Purifi-based mono-block amplifier. performance and highest quality and shielding. The P452 model won a
In a matching enclosure to the stereo components delives a neutral but 2022 Sound+Image Amplifier Award.
amplifier range and DAC1, this simply captivating musical sound. Fully
elegant product is milled from solid 2-ohm capable with ultra-low output Both models also feature a touch
aluminium with a tough anodized impedance, the P451 can deliver up power switch, balanced Neutrik XLR
treatment. Exceptional fit, finish, to 450 watts and 25 amps, ensuring inputs (compatible with single ended
and build quality. tremendous grip and drive even with RCA), and heavy-duty tellurium copper
the most challenging of speaker loads. silver plated ETI Research speaker
Featuring the new Purifi 1ET400A binding posts. Input RF filters ensure
technology and Bruno Putzeys’ Like its P451 sister, March Audio’s freedom from intermodulation. They
development of his previous Hypex first Purifi-based stereo amplifier, are suitable for use directly driven from
Ncore designs, the P451 delivers the P452, has all these key qualities high quality DACs or preamplifiers.
extraordinarily low noise and packed into a beautifully built, high
distortion with further improved quality cabinet. High quality Canare Hand-built and individually tested,
refinement in subjective audio quality. speaker cable and Mogami signal cable both the P451 and P452 are backed
with March Audio’s 3-year warranty.

W www.marchaudio.com E alan@marchaudio.com P +61 (0)447 946 771

AV SOUND

POLK MAGNIFI MINI AX

SOUND LOZENGE & SUBWOOFER

We were quite amazed by the movie sound performance from Polk’s
little humpy of a sound lozenge which sits below or in front of your TV,
backed by a rather special subwoofer tucked away wherever you can fit it.

The MagniFi Mini AX is full of acoustic output exits from bottom gaps in eARC nor ARC, and as a last resort a 3.5mm
surprises. Polk has delivered a the raised sides, while it also ports to the analogue minijack input. Most people will
rather different soundbar and back. This makes it versatile with regard to use just one, but you could in theory have
subwoofer solution — but no, placement, relatively immune to furniture the TV on the HDMI and some analogue
we can’t even get that far because this is on either side of it, though you couldn’t source plugged into the minijack.
clearly not a soundbar, as such; there’s easily put it in cabinetry. The subwoofer
barely a whiff of the bar to its form. It’s absolutely dwarfs the sound lozenge, with Besides, there are more ways to play,
more a lozenge. So this is a sound lozenge its height particularly dominant at 37cm, thanks to the Polk’s Wi-Fi connection.
and subwoofer solution. which does rather weigh on the other side This enables AirPlay 2 and Chromecast
of the positional versatility scale. Once streaming, while there’s also Bluetooth,
Equipment you’ve also established the best positional although no indication of any high-
options to gain its maximum bass strength quality Bluetooth codecs, so use the Wi-Fi
The lozenge is remarkably small, just to your listening position (instructions streaming if you’re able.
a ruler’s length at 34cm wide; we had at tinyurl.com/subcal), the subwoofer is
thought it larger from pictures we had unlikely to be particularly discreet. Adding to the single 127 × 178mm
seen, and had wondered where we might (7 × 5 inch) racetrack driver in the
put it to prevent it covering the bottom But it’s certainly convenient in terms subwoofer, the lozenge has a slightly
of our benched TV screen. But no, at 8cm of set-up, since there are no physical unusual set of LCR drivers. The left and
high it was just perfect to fit below our connections on the subwoofer except right channels each get a 19mm and a
resident 75-inch Samsung. Check that mains power; it pairs wirelessly and 51mm midrange driver, but the centre
8cm measurement against your own automatically with the lozenge, and all the channel has only the one midrange driver.
screen and you’ll know whether you can usual subwoofer settings are baked in. The fabric and metal grille wrapping
accommodate the ‘Mini’ bit of Polk’s pair. around the body of the lozenge are rather
Meanwhile the lozenge unit offers three too thick to reveal exactly how these
The subwoofer may then be regarded physical audio inputs: HDMI with eARC to drivers are seated or angled; there are
as the bit doing the MagniFi-ing. This unit connect with a similarly-equipped HDMI certainly no upward-firing drivers, as the
is much larger, with a large ‘racetrack’ input on your TV, an optical digital input as top of the unit has a hard plastic top with
driver firing downwards, so that its main a fallback connection for TVs with neither six press buttons for local control. Nor is

36

BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

there anything spreading the sound lozenge’s front grille to display the input, There’s even a fourth set of volume
particularly wide, though the outermost of while two presses very usefully shows the controls labelled ‘surround’. These allow
the L-R drivers may lean in that direction. file type being played, whether PCM 2.0 or control of a pair of wireless rear speakers
‘Dolby Atmos-MAT’. that are to be available as an upgrade
Yet the bar is certified for both Dolby option; we didn’t have access to these
Atmos and DTS:X object-based surround As noted, there are no drivers beyond during our review.
formats, and it also offers a ‘3D Audio 3.1 channels here, so any attempt to
Mode’, claiming this “transforms stereo deliver the immersive surround or height Which is a shame, as we’d like to hear
audio to 360-degree surround sound”. of Dolby Atmos soundtracks can only be if this MagniFi Mini AX could sound
done by virtual trickery. That’s not usually even better with additional rear delivery.
All this through just three front channels, our favourite way… but read on. Because the delivery from just the lozenge
with five drivers in all, plus one for bass and subwoofer working together was
in the subwoofer. How can this be? This unit also decodes DTS:X. As another pretty darned extraordinary.
part of Sound United has pointed out to
Performance us, there is no DTS available on any major We’d usually engage a full surround
streaming service pretty much anyway in system to enjoy a Marvel movie, but we
If you give the Polk lozenge a compatible the world, and even if you were to play a gave Guardians Of the Galaxy Vol. 2 a full
HDMI eARC connection, then set-up could DTS:X disc from a disc player into your TV, run through the Polk system, and the size
hardly be more simple. We gave the the TV will be highly unlikely to pass DTS:X of sound delivered was wildly impressive.
lozenge and the subwoofer power, via HDMI eARC either. So the DTS licence Polk’s tall subwoofer is a movie monster;
plugged in that HDMI cable, and our here is a redundant inclusion on which it shifts enough air to genuinely excite the
smart TV quickly recognised that an Polk might save a good few bucks per unit. room, and achieves weighty explosions
Atmos-capable ‘receiver’ was attached. and powerful punchy gunfire. At one point
Its sound was routed almost immediately The remote control is a welcome we were down peering at the back of the
through both the lozenge and its wirelessly- inclusion; we have seen in the previous sub when one particularly impactful round
connected subwoofer. Easy stuff. review that the Panorama 3 from Bowers of gunfire sent a waft of air from the port
& Wilkins (a sister brand to Polk under so substantial that it blew back our hair.
There are two ways to connect the Sound United) comes without one, This is a sub that can make itself felt!
main unit to your home Wi-Fi network. excusing itself on the grounds that your TV
Those with Apple devices will find the Polk remote will work via HDMI CEC, or that it All the more remarkable, then, how
waiting in the Wi-Fi menus ready to be set can learn IR codes from any remote. The well it integrates with the little lozenge.
up as an AirPlay speaker, while those with Polk has exactly the same two tricks, but Given the size differential, we might have
Android devices (or Apple, if you like) can you get a remote control here anyway, predicted a hole between them as the
use Google Home to bring the Polk into and we were very glad of it. It has source sound crosses over, but you can’t hear
their network of smart products. switching from TV (HDMI or optical) to it when listening to movies, or even
Aux (analogue) or Bluetooth. And there’s music-heavy TV. Even a test tone sweeps
We went the AirPlay route, and that useful information button. cleanly enough from the subwoofer across
thereafter the Polk (listed as MagniFi Mini to the lozenge without revealing any
AX-4004) appeared as an output device Then there are volume controls — lots significant major holes or peaks.
for playback from our iPhone, iPad or of them. One pair for the main volume. A
MacBook. There is also Spotify Connect second pair labelled ‘Voice’ individually That’s great for an even frequency
onboard, so you can use the Spotify app on adjusting the centre channel. (Presumably response, but the Polk pair also do some
your device to command music that will it is this function tha inspires the engraved spatial magic too. Whatever cunning
flow from the internet straight to the Polk, words “Voice Adjust” on the bottom section processing Polk is relying on here, it
a more efficient and reliable path. of the lozenge; we have no idea why else it does a remarkable job of expanding the
might appear there.) soundfield without destroying vocal
To get non-lossy Dolby Atmos through intelligibility. We had the volume up loud
to the bar, eARC is required, though mere A third pair of buttons adjust ‘bass’, for the Sex Pistol’s first try-out performance
ARC may still manage to pass compressed which we gather is not a simple subwoofer in Pistol on Disney+ (in 5.1, not Atmos),
Atmos. You’ll know because the remote level adjust; it’s intelligently implemented and at the moment when Jones has a
control provided has a useful ‘info’ key so that the balance in the lozenge is also nervous meltdown the swirling soundtrack
at top right; one press invokes the white adjusted to match the new bass level.
alphanumeric LED display behind the

37

BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

and expansive soundfield. And there though it still uses the middle driver, and swampiness in the lower ranges until we
were oodles of underlying ominous bass the manual describes it as “for enhancing returned the bass to its neutral position.
through the close of episode 2 as well; it musical content in TV shows and movies”. But on the whole it’s another thumbs-up
pulled slightly to the subwoofer’s position Anyway, this mode selects itself by default with music. Of course a proper hi-fi with
(bass is not entirely non-directional) but when streaming music, as ‘Movie’ and ‘3D’ stereo speakers will have many sonic
the clean crossover to the lozenge meant seemed to do with surround/stereo from advantages, but for a soundbar, this is a
that the combination certainly delivered the TV input, so you won’t spend time good performance.
the impression of something far larger getting lost in the sound modes, as can
than Polk’s physical solution. The show’s happen on some rival bars. Conclusion
gunshot jingle arrived with marvellously
massive slam through the system. As a not-insignificant final bonus, the It’s pleasing to see a significantly
MagniFi Mini AX proved a very good different solution from one of Sound
It reminded us of a line in the Polk’s soundbar/lozenge for music listening. United’s brands; we’ve noted recently
website blurb where it says “Guests will A great deal of music sounded highly one Polk soundbar which shares nearly
ask, ‘where are all the speakers?’” And enjoyable, the bass was a strength here all attributes except an HDMI input with
they may indeed. as well, and the system could be taken a near-identical bar from stablemate
really quite loud without the usual musical Denon, and such shared solutions do little
Polk highlights its SDA technology as distress that soundbars get into. We found to encourage interest in or loyalty to a
a key to its success. SDA is said to target it tempting to notch up the bass one or two particular brand.
inter-aural crosstalk, where sound from points with those extra volume controls,
the right speaker reaches your left ear and but that could cause some material to But the MagniFi Mini AX is pure Polk,
vice versa. The solution has been used in become overwhelming: the underlying and its outlying approach to music, TV
Polk speakers for more than 30 years, by bass content of RedBone’s The Witch and movie sound took us by surprise with
“positioning additional drivers to deliver Queen of New Orleans (streaming via the success it achieves. Its lozenge may be
a precisely derived cancellation signal to physically discreet, but its performance
is more like the subwoofer in character,
shouting ‘look at me’ and delivering a
solid entertainment performance for those
seeking a simple solution at this price.

SPECIFICATIONS
POLK MAGNIFI MINI AX

• Dramatically large performance
• Excellent subwoofer integration
• Very easy to use
• Expansion available

• Check 80mm height against your TV

Price: $829

LOZENGE (BAR)
Inputs: HDMI eARC, optical digital,
3.5mm analogue, USB-A (service only),
Wi-Fi, Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2,
Chromecast, Bluetooth (SBC, AAC)
Drivers: 2 x 19mm tweeter, 3 x 51mm
midrange
Dimensions: 366 x 104 × 79mm
Weight: 1.73gm

SUBWOOFER
Subwoofer driver:
127 × 178mm downfiring woofer
Dimensions (wdh): 182 × 396 × 371mm

Contact: Sound United Australia
Telephone: 03 8542 1111
Web: au.polkaudio.com

38

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sales.au@soundunited.com 03 8542 1111 marantz.com Marantz.Australia

THE VERY BEST CONSUMER TECHNOLOGY...

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AUGUST 15TH 2022

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

TESTED BY THE EXPERTS Q WWW.EISA.EU

HOW TO BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

HOW TO
ENJOY BIG
SOUNDS
FROM
SMALL
SPEAKERS

There are good reasons
for choosing standmounts

rather than floorstanders.
Here’s what to consider.

WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING LOUDSPEAKERS

Ä WHAT’S YOUR BUDGET? Ä PASSIVE vs ACTIVE Ä BRAND STANDS

If you’re seeking a bargain that sounds This issue we review two passive pairs Many manufacturers offer stands
great, then standmount speakers may be of standmount speakers, meaning they specifically designed to match their
your better bet. This isn’t just because need an amplifier to power them, and speakers. There are definite advantages
with floorstanders you’re paying for more one active, with its amplifiers built into to this, as they will be acoustically and
wood and extra drivers, but because it’s the cabinets, and sometimes wireless aesthetically matched. However, any
more difficult to engineer top-performing streaming as well. That convenience is solid stand is better than no stand!
floorstanders to a price. A larger cabinet great for some scenarios — TV audio, for
can equal more unwanted resonance, so example — but this of course changes the Ä SENSITIVITY
more care and cash needs to be spent in value equation, while also limiting the
cabinet design. Buying cheaper floor- ability to upgrade amplification or new This specification indicates the acoustic
standers might be considered a false streaming technologies in the future. output of a speaker for a given amount
economy in performance terms. of amplifier power. The higher the
Ä STANDS OR BOOKSHELVES? sensitivity, the louder they’ll play from
On the flipside, standmount speakers a given amplifier setting. If you have a
should ideally be paired with suitable In almost every case, small speakers good and powerful amplifier, well, you
stands, so take that into consideration perform best on stands. Nearly all manu- can simply turn up the amp anyway.
too, given that stands, particular model- facturers recommend a listening triangle, But if the amplifier is only modest, it
matching stands, are often not inexpensive. with the speakers not too close to any wall may not drive low-sensitivity speakers to
(as this produces unpredictable bass rein- their best. For active speakers, of course,
Ä HOW MUCH SPACE DO YOU HAVE? forcement), and often with the speakers sensitivity and impedance have been
‘toed in’ towards the listening position, so pre-matched with the internal amplifica-
This isn’t so much about the speakers’ you’re listening to the tweeters on their tion and the figure is generally not quoted.
footprint — once on stands even slender axis of projection. Toeing back out slightly
standmount speakers take up around the can sometimes be a useful way of taming Ä IMPEDANCE
same amount of floor space as a pair of treble if it’s a little too insistent.
towers. It’s more about how much room The lower the impedance, the more
the speakers have to breathe. In general If you do want to put them on a shelf, current your amplifier has to produce
the bigger the speaker, the more space it or on a sturdy cabinet which is relatively and the more power the speaker receives,
needs in which to work. There’s no point close to a rear wall, then consider which is great — until the amplifier
buying a huge pair of floorstanders if their standmounts which have their port on the runs out of current. Since most amps are
presentation is going to be hamstrung front, or (quite rare) which are sealed-box designed for speakers of 4-16 ohms, you
by the size of your bedsit. If you end up designs with no port at all. And obviously needn’t panic too much about impedance
starving a pair of floorstanders in a small consider the depth and height of the figures in that range. Manufacturers quote
room, you’re not getting the best return speakers compared to the shelf/bench a ‘nominal’ average anyway, sometimes
on your money, and standmounters will being used, including extra space for their also a minimum, as a sign that they care.
better suit the space. speaker terminals and cabling. Again active speakers rarely quote this.

41

LOUDSPEAKERS

CHARIO ACADEMY SONNET

STEREO LOUDSPEAKERS

Designed and built entirely in Italy, these stunning standmount speakers
are as easy on the ears as they are on the eyes, writes Peter Xeni.

Smart apartments line a main Cinque Terre. Both became popular brands with another European style leader, B&O.
thoroughfare in Milan, with Alfa abroad, though the Charios (the brand name The Sonnet cabinet itself is constructed
Romeos and Maseratis parked splicing the names of Charlie and Mario) from HDF with a walnut or cherry wood
outside, while inside are stylish remain, as yet, lesser known in Australia. finish. The walnut is ‘responsibly sourced’
Sonus faber and Chario speakers. But it from Italian suppliers and dried for a full
was the Charios that got inside first. They Equipment six months before machining. The final
were built in 1975 and were arguably the cabinet, with its sculptured walnut edges,
original benchmark of style. Two scientists, Chario hand-makes everything for its own sits stylishly and recess-bolted on optional
Charlie Vincenzetto and Mario Murace, speakers, from the drivers, the cabinetry ($1999 the pair) column stands which
invented them after meeting at an acoustic and the crossovers to even the screws. arch backwards into the top plates and
session at the University of Milan, building That attention to detail is readily apparent their side supports. The stand’s uprights
those first models in a small factory in the Chario Academy Sonnet, a two-way are made from a painted HDF and are
outside the city before Murace, evidently standmount model which is the least reinforced with the iron-black anodised
the engineering brain, was approached expensive of the company’s top-end legs and top plate at a height of 70cm;
by Franco Serblin for his input into the Academy range, selling for $8999. each stand weighs 13kg.
prototype Sonus fabers some years later.
Chario’s Australian distributor Audio The stands are not adjustable, which
Their sonic signature was similar, but Dynamics invited us to hear them at Tivoli makes the seating sweet-spot important,
aesthetically the Sonus fabers were more Hi-Fi in Melbourne, and it’s a measure of as does the ‘upsidedown’ orientation
svelte, the Charios more woody, more these speakers’ style and substance that of woofer and tweeter (see panel). The
they share the showroom’s flagship status

42

BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

tweeter is a 32mm Silversoft dome about job. But it’s a safe bet that a more powerful Blue Skies tweetered like bird song. On
the size of a ping-pong ball, the woofer a amplifier with 120-140W power rating into the Wilsons they sounded like a parrot
170mm Rohacell poly ring type, affording 4 ohms will do a better job, says Philippe. on steroids! Plenty of extra detail and
both rigidity and flexibility; the enclosure Another critical factor is ensuring they are dynamics, especially suited to rock.
is ported to the rear with a slot vent that at least two to three feet away from the
Chario describes a having a ‘half-exponen- back wall, and ideally some distance from But otherwise, there was remarkably
tial hourglass’ geometry. The frequency side walls. little appreciable difference, other than
range is rated at 50Hz to 20kHz. scale and dynamics. Across further
Listening session recordings we thought their top-end
Most tweeters are limited to working
above 2500Hz because their small The Charios’ warm sonics suggest parlour WOOFER OVER TWEETER
diaphragms can’t take the excursion room refinement, dimmed lights and some
required to handle lower frequencies, and/ fine Catena Zapata wine. In their refined The unusual Sonnet configuration of
or their small voice coils can’t dissipate the contrast to the pounding adrenaline of having bass driver over tweeter is not
heat generated by lower frequencies. The kick-ass JBLs or loud ear-horn androids, unique, used also in designs by Mission
Silversoft tweeter here swoops down to these speakers embrace a room without and Dynaudio among others. Chario’s
1000-1200Hz in a steep glide that requires shouting at you. So the Charios are not, adoption of this orientation followed
power, like an aircraft in a controlled dive. you might say, for petrol heads, although experiments in deflection by company
The tweeter’s aileron curve controls the they produce comparatively deep bass at founders Charlie Vincenzetto and Mario
sweep and does the weight lifting... but 50Hz (the quoted -3dB point is 55Hz). Murace, aiming to ascertain how the
there is a caveat, notes Philippe Luder of The overall sound they deliver might head and upper body deflect and absorb
Audio Dynamics (whose long association better be compared to a bit of useful sound, as well as directly perceive it.
with Italian audio goes back to his roots in photo-editing — they remove the bits that
neighbouring Switzerland, where he was don’t tell the story, and leave a balanced, Their experiments revealed that
once an audio technician servicing various satisfying picture. people hear distortion most acutely
European brand). To work effectively, at the crossover point from the
Luder says, the Chario’s driver complement The Sonnets produced an enormously tweeter to the midrange driver.
requires a powerful amp, beyond what satisfying and highly natural sound Mounting the woofer driver higher
is recommended by Chario — or by some across a variety of material, and not just than their tweeter reduced floor
reviewers. With the Sonnets’ relatively hi-fi-friendly stuff like Shelby Lynne’s deflections and allowed the tweeter’s
friendly impedance and sensitivity at 2008 Dusty tribute ‘Just a Little Lovin’ ’, narrower dispersion to blend with
90dB SPL normalised to 1m/2.83Vrms, one or the audiophile Dire Straits soundcheck the woofer’s broader dispersion at
reviewer claimed a 50W amp will do the track Water of Love (a song with recorded a neutral point into the midrange.
boomy bass which audiophiles blame on
their systems). Philippe Luder of Chario’s Australian
distributor Audio Dynamics notes that
Because our listening took place the driver arrangement in the Charios
at Tivoli Hi-Fi we were able to also makes sense in aligning the
soundstage with the listener’s ears.
compare the Charios with The height and space are particularly
some American muscle critical in setting up the two-way
Charios, he notes. Once set correctly,
courtesy of Wilson Audio they both look and sound “bellissimo”.
speakers in the next room.
For this comparison we
played Eva Cassidy’s
semi-acoustic 1996 live
recording ‘Live At Blues
Alley’. The Wilson Sabrina X
at twice the price, and the
even more expensive Sasha
DAWs, certainly dug deeper
into the bottom end (and
so they should), with this
phalanx of heavyweights
punching hard — but
without the subtlety of the
Charios’ velvet glove. Plenty
of detail and dynamics, and
scale — very American, very
rock music. On the Charios,
the rolling piano and swinging
cymbal splash under Cassidy
on Irving Berlin’s classic

43

LOUDSPEAKERS BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

audiophiles that they don’t really listen:
“audiophiles love music for the sound
that it makes”, so that their listening
experience will be limited to reference
recordings. If music is the art in the cup
that holds the wine of your pleasure, then
don’t complain about dregs at the bottom.
The Charios won’t highlight them.

In summary, the Chario Sonnets are a
sensible accurate speaker for music lovers.
They go down to 50Hz, and that’s deep-sea
diving for standmounts. If you’re into
music, this is a winner. They don’t amplify
flaws; they don’t x-ray recordings. But
they will play 100 years’ worth of recorded
music, from early blues to modern pop
to classical quartets, with pace, rhythm
and tonality. And will still appeal to bass
thumpers spotting for krill and plankton
at the bottom end.

Audio over art? The Charios are art.
Peter Xeni

sparkle to be also similar to the Wilsons, by high-end hi-fi. The famous black music CHARIO
and without the Wilsons’ surplus of attack. studios such as Muscle Shoals (Aretha and ACADEMY SONNET
For our tastes the Charios’ spatial depth James Carr), Cosimo Matassa’s J&M Studio
of image was more natural, less ‘hi-fi’, (Fats Domino and Prof Longhair) and • Balanced satisfying sound
more subtle and nuanced, if ultimately the Sun (Elvis and Howling Wolf) or Stax • Good bass for standmounts
less revealing of clinical detail. The (Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett) studios • Superb Italian build
Wilsons were so accurate they revealed made their classic recordings on far more
the ‘musical mud’, the bass grunge in the modest monitors. Some have suggested • Not the last word in revelation
Cassidy recording which it’s doubtful that that it would be useful to have speakers • Stands an additional $1999
her engineer, Roy Battle, intended to be which can be tuned to the vintage of the
revealed, if he even knew it was there. recording! Alternatively, every audiophile Price: $8999
In this regard the refined restraint of the might have two or three systems, suited to Drivers: 32mm Silversoft tweeter,
Chario Academy standmounts represents these different eras of recording. 170mm Rohacell woofer
good bang for your buck. Nominal impedance: 4ǜ (3ǜ min.)
Conclusion Sensitivity: 90dBSPL (1m/2.83Vrms)
It’s an interesting digression to consider Dimensions (hwd): 445 x 235 x 340mm
how engineers of yore were using That is an issue for those who are into Weight: 14kg
monitors inferior to what we can now great recordings, rather than the hi-fi
enjoy as hi-fi in the home. Most legendary itself. Sir Thomas Beecham once said of Tivoli Hi-Fi listening system:
recordings, such as Duke Ellington’s McIntosh MT2 turntable with Sumiko
‘Masterpieces’ collection (beloved of Blue Point no.2 MC
Michael Fremer and Art Dudley) through McIntosh MAC7200 stereo receiver
to Ry Cooder’s ‘Paradise and Lunch’ were Auralic Vega streaming DAC
recorded on studio speakers that couldn’t McIntosh MCD350 CD player
reveal the detail now ruthlessly revealed Transparent Audio interconnects,
SPR Cables
Visit Tivoli Hi-Fi at tivolihiť.com.au

Contact: Audio Dynamics
Telephone: 03 9882 0372
Web: www.audiodynamics.com.au

44



LOUDSPEAKERS

K EF is going gangbusters on its music of choice and, if you like, plug in and five versions of the LSX II are available
60th anniversary celebrations, additional sources. So what’s changed? at launch, differentiated by both colour
with brand-new designs and and finish, veering from subtle to rather
a whole slew of upgraded The speakers more in-yer-face. There is Carbon Black,
models, among them the latest editions of Mineral White, Cobalt Blue, Lava Red,
its dinkiest wireless speakers, the KEF LSX. Dinky they may be, but surely nobody and finally the finish which we enjoyed
As with the original, the new LSX IIs are could deny that the LSX IIs are lovely- on our review pair, which is ‘Soundwave
active wireless speakers, no external amps looking speakers. The fundamental design by Terence Conrad’ (pictured left), a grey/
required. You just add your streaming was created by Michael Young, a British brown fabric with gold/brown wavy lines
industrial designer based in Hong Kong, through it. This, the blue and the black
versions have the fabric wrap around
four sides of the speaker, while the red is
high-gloss and the white is a matte paint
finish. When the original LSX launched,
KEF told us this was simply because a
white fabric would get dirty too quickly.

On that note, one of the leaflets that
comes with the speakers is dedicated
entirely to maintenance of this Kvadrat
fabric. It suggests a careful vacuuming
weekly, and offers help that you hopefully
won’t need regarding stain removal.

Not sure which colour to choose? KEF
has an Augmented Reality app which can
place the speakers in your home virtually
and switch colours until you’re happy!

The speakers also have three stand
types available which assist versatility of
positioning: a P1 desk pad, S1 floorstands,
and a B1 wall bracket. We weren’t supplied
any of those, so plonked them straight
down onto good solid stands and surfaces.

At first glance it may look as if there is
only one drive unit on each speaker, but
this is KEF’s Uni-Q array, which houses a
tweeter within the midrange driver, or in
this case a mid/bass woofer. KEF has been
using the Uni-Q concept for more than 30
years since the C95 from the 1988 C Series,
the first model ever to carry one. Uni-Q is
now in its 12th generation. In this case the
LSX IIs use a specially-designed version of
the 11th gen Uni-Q, incorporating a 19mm
aluminium-dome and 115mm magnesium/
aluminium mid/bass cone.

As noted you don’t need an amplifier
to power these KEF speakers — they are
active, with a quoted but unspecified 70W
of Class-D power for the mid-bass driver
and 30W for the tweeter.

How low can such small speakers go?
The specs say down to 54Hz at -3dB,
49Hz at -6dB. But this will depend on
the EQ settings that are used. As KEF’s
tech guru Jack Oclee-Brown notes of the
floorstanding LS60 Wireless speakers,
digital signal processing is critical in a
modern active speaker to achieve bass
response that simply would not be possible

46

BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

from a passive speaker of the same size. rises to 24-bit/96kHz. And it may not be There’s also a fair bit of signing up
The DSP algorithms reside in KEF’s ‘Music merely the transmission which changes. to do before you get to play your music.
Integrity Engine’ processing, and the We know from Doc. Oclee-Brown that in You can’t even start the KEF Connect app
improvements there have been just as KEF’s LS60 Wireless, removing the cable without creating an account with KEF
crucial to the improved performance of drops all the internal processing, not and signing in. The app also now allows
the LSX IIs as have any physical changes merely the transmission between speakers. direct music streaming from Amazon,
in design. Externally, indeed, KEF has kept This is worth considering, because the Deezer, Qobuz, Spotify and Tidal, each
costs down by making no changes at all to LSX II accept files up to 384kHz over the requiring your sign in. Signing the LSX IIs
the original, other than to the back panel. network, 192kHz from USB-C and 96kHz into Amazon Music curiously required
from optical, with MQA and DSD (up to ticking a box giving permission for
If that bass performance is not enough 256) also accepted. But whatever comes ‘Amazon for Teufel’ to access our Amazon
for you, there is the option to run KEF’s in, it’s dropped straight to either 192kHz subscription. Teufel is a company in Berlin
KW-1 transmitter kit from its rear USB-C with the linking cable, or to 96kHz without. making their own Amazon-streaming
slot; this kit can then communicate with So that cable decision potentially affects speakers, so we might assume that KEF
and integrate one or two of KEF’s ‘miracle the entire processing chain within the is using their technology somewhere
baby’ KC62 wireless subwoofers. electronics of the speakers, not just the link within the LSX II.
between the speakers themselves.
At the other end of the spectrum the If you’re wedded to using a particular
tweeter supports the LSX II’s high-res- The input labels on the back are in a service on your phone, that just get the
audio-capable inputs with treble response grey-out-of-grey lettering that we found KEFs networked and use the various direct
rising to a quoted 28kHz at -3dB, and a extremely difficult to read. But as noted, streaming ways to throw from your device
sky-high 47kHz at -6dB. many LSX owners may never plug in any — such as AirPlay 2, which we used to
sources anyway. KEF’s latest W2 wireless stream music continuously for several
Connections & streaming platform offers plenty of ways to play, both days to warm the LSX IIs through.
from the KEF Connect app (see below) and
The two LSX II speakers have different rear point-to-point streaming using AirPlay 2, Their great achievement, of course, is
panels, and operate in a kind of master/ Chromecast or, soon, Roon. Bluetooth is in not sounding in the least bit as small
slave arrangement. The inputs are on what also onboard, but use the other options if as they are. That DSP does a fine job of
KEF calls the ‘Primary’ speaker, and a you can, because they’ll sound better. making them sound far larger, indeed so
toggle in the app can usefully allocate this impressively balanced that you soon focus
to be either the left or right channel. Performance on the music rather than the speakers.

The physical inputs (remembering that We had a little initial #fail with the KEF At casual listening levels the bass guitar
some users may choose simply to stream) Connect app: on our 2021 iPad Pro, the app lines were impressively solid on Alex The
include one analogue minijack, one optical kept searching but never found the LSX IIs. Astronaut’s Haircut, extending down to
digital, a USB-C socket, and finally an HDMI There’s no easy remedy for this: the app at least the bottom G before losing any
input designed to connect to a TV’s ARC- recommends checking your modem strength. As we turned things up (you get
equipped socket, thereby playing TV audio. channel or otherwise call your local a lightweight but effective remote control)
helpline. As a reviewer it’s always a tad there was almost too much bass, a most
There’s an Ethernet socket if you’re able embarrassing to call the local helpline, unexpected result from speakers so small,
to give it wired networking rather than the so we first tried things again using an but you can then adjust the various EQ
built-in Wi-Fi option. And of course each old iPhone 8 instead, and this worked options to prevent the DSP going so far
speaker requires its own power cable. first time, quickly setting up the speakers as to deliver a dominant bass as playback
without further problems. After that, they gets louder. The KEF Connect app is stuffed
There are two outputs — a single appeared on the iPad app as well. So the with options, including a choice of desk
pre-out for a non-wireless subwoofer, and takeaway: if connection fails, perhaps just mode or wall mode, a treble trim, a phase
the RJ45 signal link to the slave speaker. try a different device. correction, and a three-position bass
selector — Standard, Less or Extra. The
This last connection is optional, but
important. The speakers can communicate
wirelessly at 24-bit/48kHz. Put the cable
between the speakers, however, and that

47

LOUDSPEAKERS BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

effects are generally mild, but useful. By could only hint at the 38Hz bass note in We nearly forgot to pull out the linking
giving the LSX II a bit of space out from the Neil Young’s Walk With Me rather than cable and see if it made a difference. We
wall, and using judicious EQ, we soon had fully delivering it. think it did (though the delay in reconfigu-
them pumping at volume as enjoyably as ration makes it hard to judge), the wireless
they had delivered background music. The advantage of that point-source connection seeming to reduce the precision
Uni-Q driver was notable in the clarity and airiness of the sound, removing a little
Lizzo’s About Damn Time was granted of soundstaging during Chick Corea’s of its enthusiasm. Keep the cable in unless
a tight punching kick drum and richly Australia concerto, each instrument well positioning makes this impossible.
solid bass under a full realistic-sounding positioned and toned, the piano always
set of vocals and harmonies. Or check the steady even while strings and woodwind Verdict
full bass line driving Baker Boy’s Wish You leapt from all sides. The lively dynamics of
Well; we were genuinely impressed by the this piece were only slightly tempered by This is a great revision of the original
size of sound from speakers so compact. the demands on that small mid-bass unit; LSX. The new app improves set-up,
there’s not enough airshifting to shake the the new W2 wireless platform improves
The midrange is pretty luscious as well, gut, but that makes the overall frequency streaming abilities, and the latest Uni-Q
lifting Sabrina Carpenter’s delicious close range all the more remarkable. And we did driver and other improvements deliver a
miking on Vicious above the chugging not rate the original LSX so highly; these far better sound than we recall hearing
background, and maintaining separation seem such a significant improvement. from the previous LSX.
cleanly even as the track takes off in the
second half. A convenience note: we were This clarity and depth lent itself It’s true that $2195 isn’t pocket money
playing these songs from Amazon HD beautifully to sparse acoustic and classical for such dinky little speakers, but consider
using the KEF Connect app on our iPad works; only more complex orchestral — you’re getting the speakers, the internal
Pro. When we subsequently turned off the works played at volume could again amplifiers, all the streaming, the soundbar-
app, even shut down the iPad, the music reveal the ultimate limits of physics as the replacing abilities with TV audio… this
kept playing through the selected playlist. crescendos were restrained in dynamics could be your entire system for movies and
As with Spotify Connect, your device is the and clarity by the system size here. music without the need to add anything
controller, not an essential element in the other than a streaming subscription, and
chain, and that’s far more reliable. We ended with the speakers on TV plenty of options for later expansion.
duties, looking slightly underwhelming on
Playing ye olde silver discs from a CD either side of a 75-inch 8K TV, but certainly Which makes the LSX II look rather
transport attached to the coaxial input, not sounding it! You lose the dedicated better value, eh?
classic fare was treated with equal enthusi- centre speaker of a soundbar or surround
astically. Another bass line that impressed system, but that only matters if you’re KEF
was the one opening Dobie Gray’s Drift off-centre, so make sure you aren’t, then LSX II
Away: the LSX IIs pushed it out at full size, you can enjoy the KEF’s abilities to present
although inevitably something of the very even a busy soundtrack while holding • Outrageously good sound…
bottom octave was absent, so that they dialogue crisp and clear.
• …from speakers so compact

• A complete system in themselves

• No phono/USB-B inputs

• Two power cables plus link
required for best quality

Price: $2195
Type: active wireless bass-reflex
Drivers: Uni-Q with 19mm
aluminium-dome tweeter,
115mm magnesium/aluminium alloy
mid/bass
Inputs: 1 x minijack analogue,
1 x optical, 1 x HDMI ARC, 1 x USB-C
(input or charging), Wi-Fi, Ethernet,
Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, Chromecast,
UPnP
Outputs: subwoofer out, optional
second speaker connection
Internal power: 1 x 30W, 1 x 70W
Dimensions: 240 × 155 × 180mm
Weight: 3.2kg

Contact: KEF Australia
Telephone: 02 9561 0799
Web: au.kef.com

48

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LOUDSPEAKERS

MARCH AUDIO “Many available speakers in this class
SOINTUVA WG simply don’t go low enough, in my view,”
says Alan March. “While people can
STEREO LOUDSPEAKERS always add a subwoofer to small speakers,
in reality that is very problematic and
These extraordinary Australian speakers leverage difficult to implement properly.”
driver technology from Purifi in Denmark to deliver
a size of sound you’d expect from floorstanders, but We’ve been looking forward to hearing
retaining all the merits of a large standmount design. the resulting design, which has recently
been updated with a new waveguide as a
March Audio is based in Perth, “We had analysed all the usual ‘WG’ edition. And here they are, the March
where it designs and builds suspects, but this Purifi driver was Audio Sointuva WG loudspeakers.
amplifiers — including truly exceptional,” says the company’s
the Sound+Image award- Alan March. “It is the lowest-distortion Equipment
winning P452 stereo power amplifier — longest-stroke driver of its size; indeed
and now loudspeakers. Some of the amps, its performance exceeds that of far The 6.5-inch mid/bass driver is not the
including the P452, use Eigentakt power larger drivers. It also has extremely low only piece of Purifi in the Sointuva.
modules from Danish company Purifi. The compression, so sounds very dynamic; Hidden around the back (see the images
same company also makes an unusual new it doesn’t limit the volume of transients.” opposite and overleaf on p52) is a pair of
design of 6.5-inch loudspeaker driver, and Purifi’s 6.5-inch passive radiators. These
when March Audio trialled this, it proved March Audio’s design objective for its radiators perform the same job as a rear
just the thing to achieve a particular speaker was to build a standmount design port in decompressing the internal air
speaker design it was developing. (not one which was ‘bookshelf’ small) that ‘spring’ within what is otherwise a sealed
delivers truly deep bass extension. cabinet. The result, says March, is “tight
and controlled bass similar to a closed
design, but with the better low frequency
extension of a ported design. The passive
radiators are an excellent compromise
between the two designs, and don’t suffer
port issues such as chuffing noises.”

The final speakers are certainly not
bookshelf size: they stand a substantial
44cm high, 24cm wide and 22cm deep.
With the two passive radiators all but
filling the rear panel there’s just room at
the bottom for the high-quality binding
posts — ETI Research’s ‘Kryo’ design using
silver-plated tellurium-copper alloy.

On both the front drivers and rear
radiators an unusual and distinctive
surround is in evidence, with a flappy bit
that sticks outward on each of four sides.
This is Purifi’s ‘Neutral Surround’ (or
‘Wormy’ as they have nicknamed it), which
claims to practically eliminate the surround
radiation distortion that occurs as a cone
moves and the area of cone plus surround
changes. The geometry also controls cone/
surround edge break-up, says Purifi, and
provides resilience against back-pressure,
especially useful in small cabinets.

Most visiting speakers
don’t match our
references; some
outperform them. None
has done so with quite
the immediacy of the
March Audio speakers...

50