From compact sets to big-box wonders,
these systems deliver top cinema surround sound to your living room
Product of the year
Best style package: $1,500-$2,250
Bowers & Wilkins MT-50: $1,642
Now, we don’t hand out our Product of the
Year prizes to just anyone. We always champion our performance-per-pound ethos,
and this B&W MT-50 speaker package fits the bill perfectly.
Bowers
& Wilkins MT-50, the best style package
The essence of this package lies with the
M-1 satellite speaker. A staple Award-winner when paired with previous
incarnations of B&W’s Mini Theatre range, they have now been given a major
design upgrade. Behind the grilles the tweeter has adopted design cues from the
high-end Nautilus speakers, while the drivers use the same technology seen in
the superb PM1s. the ASW 608 subwoofer is the perfect complement to the M-1s;
it might not produce the very deepest sound, but it’s fast and agile.
We can’t think of anything more demanding
than a Hans Zimmer score, so we naturally put Inception on to put the MT-50 to
the test. And it passes with flying colors – it’s fabulous with 5.1 surround
soundtracks. The upgraded M-1 satellites are the biggest contributors – they do
wonders with the midrange and above. There’s plenty of space and bite to the
top end that adds extra sparkle to the cracks of gunshots, and allows the
gradual progression of the poignant and atmospheric music to reach its full
potential. And the seismic shifts in sound signifying the dream-world’s time-bending
place you right in the middle of the action. It’s not just fancy dream-bending
effects that benefit from the MT-50 – a crisp midrange means that dialogue is
conveyed with remarkable clarity.
Great with stereo music, too
Home cinema systems that do music very well
are rather rare, and it’s this quality that we love about the MT-50. Its
natural deftness and agility come to the fore with stereo music.
Sonic performance notwithstanding, the
system also looks great with its sophisticated matte-black finish, and its
compact nature makes it easy to position close to, or on, the walls. Add all
this together, and you’ve got a home cinema package to truly marvel at.
Best traditional package up to $1,050
Q Acoustics 2000i 5.1: $900
When it comes to affordable speaker
packages, Q Acoustics has it covered. Its traditional 5.1 home cinema systems
have made themselves comfortable in this corner of the Awards, dominating this
particular category for the past few years now.
Q
Acoustics 2000i 5.1, the best traditional package up to $1,050
Q Acoustics’ 2010 Award-winning 2000 Cinema
Pack was replaced with this 2000i 5.1 system, significant material and design
upgrades ensuring it retained its place as a winningly affordable package for
two years in a row.
The 2000i 5.1 pack comprises two pairs of
identical 2010i satellites that serve as front and back speakers, maintaining a
cohesive experience across the room, with a 2000Ci center channel tying
everything together.
We love the look of the speakers – the
rounded corners give a friendly and inviting vibe compared with more imposing
sharp-edged packages, while the speaker terminals tucked away in a recessed
plate at the bottom of the speakers add to the neatness of the package.
And if you prefer your speakers
wall-mounted instead of perching on stands, the simple ‘tilt and turn’ brackets
help you to get the speakers as flat on the wall as possible.
The upgrades to the 2010i speakers from a
completely new and decoupled tweeter, to the carbon fiber and ceramic coated paper
mid/bass drivers and a revised crossover were a market improvement to the sonic
performance of the full package.
Settle down for a full 5.1 soundtrack
experience, and you’ll find yourself immersed in the 2000i pack’s confident and
dynamic performance. It’s simply a joy to listen to. Despite its comparatively
compact build it has great presence, even in a large room, and we’re still
stunned by the amount of scale and atmosphere it manages to deliver with
demanding movie soundtracks.
We’re still stunned by the scale and
atmosphere it manages to deliver with demanding movie soundtracks. It’s simply
a joy
Articulation with refinement
It’s an articulate and refined listen, with
good timing and rhythm proving it capable with stereo music as well. The 2070Si
subwoofer deserves a special mention for its precision and improved ability to
dig deep into the lower frequencies, all the while staying controlled with
plenty of attack.
We were wowed by the 2000i 5.1 package when
we first tested it last year, and we’re still impressed at the scale and
confidence of this system. Another year, another Award – it speaks volumes that
nothing else in this price bracket has come close.
Best traditional package $1,050-$2,250
Dali Zensor 5 5.1: $1,950
We had high hopes for the Dali Zensor
package when we first tested it last year, especially with the inclusion of the
brilliant five-starring Zensor 1 Standmounters as the rear speakers. And it
didn’t disappoint, with the journey from First Test to Award-winner being a
short road indeed.
Dali
Zensor 5 5.1, the best traditional package $1050-$2250
The center channel Vokal was the only
unknown entity back then, but it emerged as the strongest piece of the pack
with an expressive midrange that emphasizes the front Zensor 5 pair’s strength
in delivering centered and textured vocals.
A year on, and the strength of this 5.1
set-up shows no sign of waning. It’s an eye-catching package as well with the
high quality finish especially that of the glossy black, looking rather beautiful
contrasted against the 13cm wood-fiber mid/bass drivers. The floor-standing
Zensor 5s and the Vokal that make up the front channels are neatly
proportioned, even with the high driver count. That said, the Vokal is a large
unit, so you’ll need quite a lot of space under (or above) your TV.
The E-12F subwoofer has featured in two
Dali Award-winning packages (this one, and last year’s Fazon 3 5.1). Its hefty
combination of 170W amplifier and 30cm aluminum driver sings through a movie
soundtrack with agility and punch, though a little more exuberance wouldn’t go
amiss.
Play the Coen brothers’ Fargo, and the
Dali’s strength with dialogue shines through: every cadence and inflection of
Steve Buscemi’s loquacious Carl Showalter is delivered unflinchingly and is
packed with character. There’s meticulous attention to detail with both big
crashes and quitter moments, and the sure-footed timing moves the pace along.
There’s meticulous attention to
detail, both with big crashes and quieter moments, and the timing is resolutely
surefooted
Wide, convincing soundstage
The system has fluid dynamics across the
frequency range, and the wide and convincing soundstage is truly immersive.
We’re impressed with the Dalis’ ability to walk the fine line between
excitement and grace, and the system’s integration produces an engaging tonal
harmony.
It’s talented with stereo music as well,
with crisp detail and natural rhythms making it an effortless listen. In fact,
the overall even-handed presentation of the package goes a long way in making
it enjoyable to listen to for hours on end.
