The new BDV-N590 isn’t good – we’d bet
there won’t be a more complete, better-value home cinema system released this
year. It’s more stylish than its forebears, its PS3-emulating curves
incorporating a side-mounted disc-loading slot plus touch-sensitive controls.
It’s also exceptionally well equipped for its price, with twin HDMI inputs, a
USB-in for an iPod dock and analogue and digital ins. Picture and sound quality
are excellent, whether you’re playing a 3D Blu-ray or streaming from the
extensive array of built-in smart services, including the new BBC Sport app.
Killer
feature
The ability to ‘throw’ web pages from your
phone to your TV
Our
Ratings: 5/5 stars
Massive spec, yet micro-priced: the Sony is
quite simply the biggest bargain in home cinema
Yamaha YSP-2200 $1135 55 stars
Smaller and easier to install than Yamaha’s
older Digital Sound Projectors, the YSP-2200 delivers a genuinely immersive
surround experience from just a single speaker and separate subwoofer. It’s
well-equipped, easy to set-up and simple to use, too.
Panasonic SC-BTT590 $713.5 5/5 stars
An excellent all-rounder, this Panny has
excellent picture quality and immersive surround sound. Its Connect smart
portals is respectable too, with iPlayer, Acetrax, Netflix and more. It’s not the
flashiest-looking, but that’s its only flaw
Samsung HT-E8200 $810.9 5/5 stars
A true king of convenience, this is a 3D
Blu-ray-playing, smart-TV-streaming, HDMI-switching soundbar par excellent.
Admittedly, the wireless sub can overstate itself a bit, but the overall sound
quality and feature set make this a bargain at the price
Yamaha YSP-4100 $1297.5 5/5 stars
Replacing Yamaha’s much-admired YSP-40D,
the ’4100 adds onboard HD audio decoding for Blu-ray, wireless streaming of
audio from iPod and, if you want more bass without cable cluter, a wireless
subwoofer option. Lovely rounded sound, too.
LG BH220B $640.5 4/5 stars
The aluminium-look LG stands apart from the
black plastic herd, and it’s well specced, with a capable 3D Blu-ray drive and
a new. Tuller Smart TV package featuring Acetrax, BlinkBox, LoveFilm and
Netflix. A slight lack of bass weight is the only drawback
Philips HTS5563 $543 4/5 stars
The Philips has a lot going for it: it’s
compact and attractive, its picture quality is a good as you’ll get at this
price, and it’s particularly effective with surround panning from
speaker-to-speaker. But its online offering is merely average, and it’s not the
thing for big rooms
Samsung HT-E5530 $494.5 4/5 stars
Looking to fill a big room with sound? The
Samsung’s tallboy front speakers and meaty subwoofer will do the job. It’s
well-specced too, with an excellent Smart Hub portal. Pity, then, that the
surround sound presentation isn’t particularly well=integrated
Harman/ Kardon BDS 570 $1216 4/5 stars
This shoebox-sized Blu-ray player/ receiver
bridges the gap between separates-style kit and less-capable all-in-one
systems. Its picture and sound quality are fine, though it needs more streaming
capability to really compete. All the same, it’s a neat idea
Orbitsound T9 $324.5 4/5 stars
The T9 could be confused with an iPod dock,
but Orbitsound insit it’s a soundbar – and the combination of an AV-friendly
optical input and spatial stereo sound make it hard to argue. As a
sound-per-pound proposal, it’s impressive, especially in smaller rooms.
Instant expert
Tony
Horgan He’s got you surrounded
Given all the complexity of all those
decoding doodads and processing whatnots, it’s no surprise that most home
cinema receivers can make for iffy hi-fi setups. However, NAD’s traditionally
tune-oriented buyers demand something a little different, and that’s what the
company’s delivered with its new T 787 receiver ($4859.5, nadelectronics.com).
with a massive seven-channel design, it features not one, but two toroidal
power supplies – with one dedicated to the front speakers alone – all to ensure
your music moves you as it ought. The T 787 also sports NAD’s modular
architecture, allowing for upgrades over the lifespan of the product via
plug-in boards rammed with upgraded video components, DACs, socketry and so on.
Clever – and reassuring, given how much it costs
“This AV receiver has twin power supplies
for super-boosted tunes”
What to look for
1.
Number of speakers
This depends on aesthetics and, of course,
the tolerance of those you live with, but if you’re buying with an eye on the
future, note that 6.1 and 7.1 movies will gradually become more common.
2.
Amp abilities
Cinema-in-a-box comes with an amp, thus
reducing under-telly clutter. Don’t fixate on wattage ratings – audio quality
is far more important than volume
3.
DVD or Blu-ray?
Almost every Blu-ray spinner will also play
DVDs, so investing in a Blu-ray set-up may be worth it long-term.
4.
3D
Many TVs support 3D, so consider a 3D-ready
home cinema – whether it can play 3D discs itself, or pass the content to your
telly
5.
Compromise
If domestic bliss relies upon a lack of
surround speakers, consider ‘cheat’ surround (such as a sound bar) – but get a
friendly dealer to let you try before you buy
