Soundbars/Soundbases

The system in question is the Magnifi MAX SR, available for around £600. It's the expanded version of Polk's 3.1-channel Magnifi MAX, itself a more serious proposition than the compact Magnifi Mini.

From the same range as JBL's multichannel-capable Bar 5.1, only less ambitious, comes the Bar Studio. A subwoofer-free, 2.0-channel design aimed at mid-size flatscreen owners, it arrives in the UK with a £150 ticket, meaning it joins an already crowded market of budget 'bars.

Soundbars continue to be the home entertainment sound system of choice for most people. Even those with a serious multichannel setup may well have a soundbar in another room to bolster a TV without the fuss of amps and speakers. But not all claim to create a surround sound experience – a feature which tops the spec sheet of Samsung's HW-N650.

Q Acoustics’ motorway-themed soundbar range continues with the M3, a slimmer and more affordable follow-up to the M4 (reviewed here and winner of our Soundbar of the Year award) and is actually still on sale three years later.

Cambridge Audio could have gone back to the drawing board for its latest soundbase speaker, but has instead opted to take its previous TV5 model and refresh its audio chops and connective options while retaining the muted styling and driver technology. It's retained the naming system too, so be aware that this is known as the TV5 (v2), and the more affordable new TV2 is the TV2 (v2).