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Hardware FeaturesLoudspeakers
Surround sound explained: from 5.1 to Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and room EQ
Team HCC  |  Oct 12, 2021  |  0 comments
You know the famous George Lucas quote: when it comes to movie-watching, ‘sound is half the experience.’ And in your home cinema setup, it’s quite likely you’ve spent more than half your budget on everything that goes towards creating that experience – speakers, subwoofer(s), an AV receiver or processor/amplifier combo.

Of course, buying the equipment is only one part of the journey. To get the best from your multichannel setup, consideration of speaker placement is key, before you get into system EQ and the effects of your room environment. Spend time getting it right (or as right as you can), and you'll be on the path toward a sound performance that perhaps Mr Lucas would be proud of...

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News
Q Acoustics launches Concept 50 5.1 speaker package
HCC News Team  |  Oct 08, 2021  |  0 comments
Comprising new additions to the speaker company's flagship Concept range, this £4,225 system promises 'a truly high-end home audio performance without the high-end price tag'.
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News
Meet Sky Glass: Sky's first TV integrates Sky TV over Wi-Fi, with Dolby Atmos audio and a Quantum Dot 4K Dolby Vision display
Steve May,  |  Oct 07, 2021  |  0 comments
'For the first time in the UK, you can now get Sky TV over WiFi, with no satellite dish, no box and no fuss,' says Sky of its new 43in, 55in and 65in sets – and owners will pay a monthly subscription fee and be able to upgrade in the future...
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InterviewsSoftware Features
Neill Blomkamp: fan-fave director on shooting new movie Demonic in the midst of the pandemic – plus his love of RoboCop and Alien
Anton van Beek  |  Oct 06, 2021  |  0 comments
It's now six years since Neill Blomkamp’s last movie, Chappie, was released in cinemas. During the intervening period he has kept himself busy setting up a production company, Oats Studios, and shooting a series of experimental short movies that are freely available to watch on YouTube. And, while many of us spent the last year locked down at home binge-watching films and telly shows, Blomkamp decided to go out and make a brand-new movie, Demonic.
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Projectors
Sony VPL-VW890ES Projector Review
John Archer  |  Oct 05, 2021  |  0 comments
hcchighreccomendSony's new high-end projector almost manages to persuade John Archer to part with £25,000

Thanks mainly to the 4K HDR experiences unlocked by its new X1 for Projector processing silicon, Sony has already wowed us with two of its current home cinema beamers, the mid-range VPL-VW590ES (see HCC #318) and step-up VPL-VW790ES (HCC #316). Can it complete the hat-trick with the high-end VPL-VW890ES? Or, put another way, is this £25,000 laser-powered behemoth really £12,000 'better' than the VW790ES?

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Pro-Install
Home cinema install: Bring on the wall!
Daniel Sait  |  Oct 05, 2021  |  0 comments
A mid-room partition in this lengthy loft-based cinema enables an optimal throw distance for its 4K projector and creates space behind for discs and hardware...
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Soundbars/Soundbases
Denon Home Sound Bar 550 review
Mark Craven  |  Sep 24, 2021  |  0 comments
hcchighreccomendThe handsome, compact Sound Bar 550 is compatible with HEOS speakers and a wireless subwoofer for optional 5.1 playback, but Mark Craven discovers it cuts the mustard on its own

The soundbar market is saturated, but amongst the myriad models it's possible to see trends, as brands coalesce around specific price points and feature sets. A disadvantage for Denon's Home Sound Bar 550 (beyond the somewhat clumsy name) is that its basic specification – a compact 'bar with no subwoofer, Atmos/DTS:X decoding with no upfirers – is mirrored by models around the £300 price point. And it sells for £550.

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Loudspeakers
KEF LS50 Wireless II Speakers Review
Ed Selley  |  Sep 15, 2021  |  0 comments
hcchighreccomendAt the top of KEF's LS50 collection, you'll find its 'meta-material' Wireless II active system. Ed Selley gives his soundbar a night off and enjoys some premium stereo

KEF's LS50 Wireless II is, as you'd probably guessed, an updated version of its original 2016-era LS50 Wireless. A self-contained active speaker system, it should be viewed more as an alternative to all-in-one devices like Naim's Mu-So 2nd Generation than something you attach to existing electronics. Which is probably for the best, as the £2,250 ticket might not leave you much spare for other kit.

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Accessories
Astell&Kern KANN Alpha Portable Player Review
Ed Selley  |  Sep 14, 2021  |  0 comments
hcc_recommendedLooking to drive a challenging pair of headphones with a portable player? Ed Selley thinks the chunky KANN Alpha might be what you need

The dedicated portable audio player market is not a massive one, and Korean brand Astell&Kern is the biggest fish in a relatively small pond. Its KANN series of players overlaps the more conventional A&Norma and A&Futura ranges, and is designed to be able to drive even very demanding headphones from a smallscale device.

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News
LG announces Direct View LED 'extreme home cinema' displays
HCC News Team  |  Sep 14, 2021  |  0 comments
Micro LED range – billed as 'the supercar of home theatre displays' – goes from 81in to 325in and includes UltraStretch 32:9 packages
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