Indholdsfortegnelse for Summer 2021 i Home Cinema Choice

Yamaha is prepping a new flagship AV receiver due to land in August. The RX-A8A tops its Aventage class of 8K-ready premium models (see p10 for more) and will come with a suitably premium price of £3,300. Amplification is rated at 11 x 150W, enabling out-of-the-box 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos/DTS:X playback, while Yamaha’s proprietary Surround: AI processing – 'the only artificial intelligence found in an AV receiver' – is given a fresh boost by an upgraded 64-bit quad-core processor. The Aventage styling has also been overhauled, but the central fifth foot remains……

The Forever Purge July 16: Supposedly the final film in the what-if-crime-was-legal-for a-night franchise (according to series writer James DeMonaco), this direct sequel to 2016’s The Purge: Election Year features a gang of miscreants who aren't happy sticking to the rules. Wrath of Man July 23: Jason Statham reunites with director Guy Ritchie for a violent action-thriller about a mysterious Los Angeles cash truck driver hunting the group of thieves responsible for the death of his son. The Suicide Squad July 30: Writer-director James Gunn looks set to bring some Guardians of the Galaxy-style craziness to the DC Universe with this sequel flick featuring a group of supervillains sent on a secret government mission.…

July 05 Mortal Kombat 4K [2021] Demons 4K Demons 2 4K Hell Night Howard the Duck 4K Scott Pilgrim vs The World 4K Space Jam 4K Threshold Wellington Paranormal: S1 Wynonna Earp: Seasons 1-4 July 12 Almost Famous 4K Alone Cyborg Ghost in the Shell 4K In Hell The Krays: Limited Edition Line of Duty: Series 1-6 Collection Snatch 4K July 19 True Romance: Limited Edition 4K The Big Fix The Day of the Dolphin Invincible [2001] July 26 Babymother The Bird with the Crystal Plumage: Limited Edition 4K Bringing Up Baby Cult Spaghetti Westerns The Daimajin Trilogy Mirror Robotrix The Violent Professionals The Walking Dead: Season 10 Wild Search June 28 After Love Blow Out El Topo The Holy Mountain Promising Young Woman The Sergio Martino Collection…

Your go-to demo discs for picture quality… The Revenant 4K is absolutely outstanding and The Shining (pictured) is a brilliant example of an older movie which looks incredible in 4K. Blade Runner 2049 is a go-to demo for PQ too. Nick Guy I remember using Top Gun on VHS video in normal surround sound and impressing people on a system before even Pro-logic came out. I'm showing my age now! Andy Edwards Gemini Man. The frame rate really pushes the boundaries. Steve Old Synapse’s 4K release of Suspiria. Absolutely stunning picture and audio, and a perfect example of what the format can do. Murray Lothian What you're watching on your home cinema… I'm gonna watch my mate’s Blu-ray copy of Zack Snyder’s Justice League to see if it’s worth buying…

LG Google TV Google’s Android OS has been a fixture of Sony and Philips smart TVs since the mid 2010s, but it was LG that unveiled a smart set using a Google-powered UI in 2012. The TV was meant to hit the UK the next year, but by then LG had picked up the WebOS system developed by Palm. And it’s used that ever since. THX Steerable Line Array A decade ago THX showed off its Steerable Line Array technology at CES with a prototype soundbar-style device featuring 92 individually amplified drivers. The idea was to create steerable sound without the need to bounce audio off walls. THX – not then a hardware company – hoped to license the patented tech to third parties. Presumably it still does. Pioneer 'Fuga'…

I have bought an LG C1 OLED TV to replace my five-year-old LG E6 OLED. After a week of viewing and adjusting the picture settings I'm not really convinced it is a massive step forward in picture quality that the tests suggest. I spoke to the dealer and he said that with AI TVs it can take a week or so to stabilise into the best picture performance. Having given the set five stars in your magazine’s review can you explain how AI processing could improve the picture quality over time? Also, the sound is not as good as my E6 model, which had a sort of soundbar at the bottom. I find the 'Standard' setting on the C1’s sound menu better than the AI setting, which does all sorts…

1. Go big. Set your camera to take images at the largest possible size, and at the highest resolution. Don't worry about cropping or resizing – we will make them print-ready. 2. Get in focus. Make sure your photos are as sharp and clear as possible. If you have one, use a tripod, or place your camera on a flat, steady surface and take pictures on a delay. The sharper they are, the bigger we can print them. 3. Let some light in. While we tend to watch movies in the dark, our cinema systems look their best when they are lit. If you can shoot with natural daylight, do so. If your room doesn't get a lot of light (a garage conversion, for instance) then switch on whatever lights…

There’s a whiff of John Waters to this candy-coloured 1999 teen satire about a high school cheerleader (Natasha Lyonne) whose parents suspect she may be a lesbian and pack her off to a ‘sexual rehabilitation’ camp. Edited to avoid being slapped with an NC-17 rating on its original release, this BD packs an eye-catching Full HD encode of the full-length version, spoiled somewhat by a DD 2.0 soundtrack. Extras include a commentary, virtual reunion featurette and behind-the-scenes footage.…

➜ BASIC INSTINCT: COLLECTOR’S EDITION After storming Hollywood with RoboCop (1987) and Total Recall (1990), director Paul Verhoeven pivoted back to the themes of his earlier European films with this 1992 erotic thrill-fest. Dogged by controversy from the day it was announced, Basic Instinct proved the old adage that all publicity is good publicity, pulling in almost $353m globally — and kickstarting a genre boom. Unlike the raunchy mainstream thrillers that followed in its wake, Basic Instinct still feels enjoyably excessive and transgressive today. Shot like a giallo by Verhoeven and cinematographer Jan De Bont, the film has style to spare (Michael Douglas' dodgy V-neck jumper aside). More than anything though, it’s Sharon Stone’s performance as femme fatale Catherine Tramell that lives up to the hype. Picture: Restored in 4K…

A highlight of the 'found footage' genre, this meticulously crafted faux documentary about a grieving family beset by strange events skips simple scares in favour of something altogether more complex and unsettling. More talked about than seen since its release in 2008, Lake Mungo now gets a stunning Blu-ray release from Second Sight that does it full justice, partnering a flawless 1.78:1 Full HD/DTS-HD MA 5.1 presentation with extras including commentaries, interviews, video essays, deleted scenes, and an 80-page book.…

Clint Eastwood’s grizzled Secret Service agent goes up against John Malkovich’s would-be Presidential assassin in this 1993 thriller. Well reviewed back in the day, it feels rather predictable and pedestrian now. The UHD platter’s 2.40:1-framed HDR10 presentation is richly coloured and sharp – the clarity of the image draws unwanted attention to some unconvincing composite shots that drop the actors into historical footage. A new Atmos soundtrack does what it can to add some dynamism.…

John Landis’ 1978 comedy ushered in a new era of raunchy Hollywood gag-fests, but it’s hard to imagine it was top of anyone’s UHD Blu-ray wish list. Be that as it may, while the film’s grungy-looking photography means this presentation is hardly in the upper tier of 4K HDR encodes, it is a massive improvement on the artificially sharpened Blu-ray. Remixed DTS:X sonics remain focused on the front speakers, hardly surprising given the film was originally mixed in mono.…

Let Him Go An ex-sheriff (Kevin Costner) and his wife (Diane Lane) try to free their grandson from his step-dad’s dangerous family in this gripping neo Western thriller. BD is light on extras but looks impressively sharp. HCC #321 Monster Hunter [UHD Blu-ray] Star Milla Jovovich and director Paul W. S. Anderson deliver the expected popcorn thrills in this fun sci-fi actioner. Sony’s US 4K BD flaunts a monstrous Dolby Atmos soundtrack. HCC #320 Soul [UHD Blu-ray] Animation house Pixar is on top form with this audacious and funny tale of life after death. Colour and HDR pop are the standout traits of Disney’s good-looking UHD platter. HCC #320 The Eight Hundred Fact-based Chinese WW2 flick is thick with overt nationalism and spectacular action and looks fabulous on Blu-ray, no…

01 Sony VPL-VW590ES ➜ £7,000 Those priced out of the market for Sony’s laser-based VW790ES (see below) should look here. This conventional lamp PJ is less inherently punchy, but ekes out better blacks and still looks lush (and sharp) with 4K HDR. HCC #318 02 JVC DLA-N5 ➜ 6,500 The entry-level native 4K beamer in JVC’s current range is still a premium option, with motorized zoom/focus/shift controls, extensive setup tools and an excellent performance with 4K HDR and 1080p SDR. HCC #304 03 Samsung LSP9T ➜ £7,000 The top dog in Samsung’s new The Premiere range of UST models has a formidable spec, including HDR10+ playback, triple-laser light illumination, 4.2-channel audio and a slick smart hub. Best in class. HCC #318 04 Sony VPL-VW790ES ➜ £12,000 Yes, this 4K HDR…

Making Perfection On Tremors' 4K Blu-ray release, Arrow Video has bundled this newly minted 30-minute documentary, which gathers the cast and crew of the cult comedy-horror, including star Kevin Bacon. HCC #317 Looking at the World in a New Way… This 70-minute Making of… documentary for Christopher Nolan’s Tenet is a must-watch, covering the blockbuster sci-fi movie’s production in excellent detail. HCC #317 Twisted Tale: The Unmaking of Spookies Excellent, candid Making of… doc charting the troubled production of this 1980s cult horror. Also joined on 101 Films' BD by the VIPCO: The Untold Story documentary. HCC #321 Crimewave: Bruce Campbell commentary Sam Raimi’s 1980s crime/comedy is a disaster of a movie, but this warts-and-all chat track on Indicator’s BD from actor and Raimi pal Campbell is utterly fascinating. HCC…

01 Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K ➜ £50 This upgraded streaming dongle brings 4K HDR (HDR10+; Dolby Vision) and Dolby Atmos to your movie den. Voice control improves search, while a new quad-core processor yields quick load times and stream optimisation. A little stunner. HCC #295 02 Bluesound Node 2i ➜ £500 Hi-res preamp/DAC to hook up to a stereo amp/AVR/active speakers. Integrates with the BluOS app for a wide range of streaming services and home media playback. Compact and an excellent performer. HCC #296 03 Audio Technica AT-LP5x ➜ £350 Our favourite affordable turntable. Easy to set up with in-built phono stage and USB for PC hookup, plus 33/45/78rpm speed control, the LP5x has good pitch stability and a rhythmic, energetic sound. HCC #318 04 NAD Masters Series M10…

Godzilla [2014] [UHD Blu-ray] This monster reboot missed out on an Atmos mix for its original BD outing. Now it goes big on object audio fun and the HDR pass brings greater depth to the night-time action. HCC #321 Speed [Ultra HD Blu-ray] The 1994 Keanu Reeves/Sandra Bullock action thriller has never looked better than it does here, thanks to a new 4K scan and well-judged colour and contrast boost. Plenty of DVD-era extras bundled. HCC #321 The Last Action Hero [UHD Blu-ray] Sony Pictures' 4K disc offers a huge step up over the previous lacklustre Blu-ray release for this hit-and-miss Arnold Schwarzenegger action-comedy. Includes Atmos audio. HCC #321 Battle Royale: Limited Edition [UHD Blu-ray] A bumper 4K outing for Kinji Fukasaku’s dystopian action flick. Includes Theatrical and Director’s Cut…

Focal Celestee, £1,000 Oh-so-high-quality wired headphones. There’s a level of performance ability here – detailed and musical, spacious yet thrillingly muscular – that dovetails with the Celestee’s premium build and price Meze Audio 99 Classics, £270 These wired cans look lovely and offer a level of audiophile fidelity you might reasonably expect from models costing twice as much. Not a bass beast, but that’s kinda the point Audio Technica ATH-Mx50BT, £180 Cable-free Bluetooth update of a wired design, with 45mm drivers and lengthy battery life (claimed to hit 40 hours). Sturdy and comfortable, and a great sound for the money Bowers & Wilkins PX7, £360 Plush noise-cancelling cans with B&W’s largest ever (43.6mm) driver design. A slick mix of comfort, feature set (including aptX Adaptive) and immersive, full-range performance Sony…

John Archer: The experienced TV tester cut his teeth as an early HCC staffer Jon Thompson: Film producer and post-production expert delves into Hollywood and AV Steve May: HCC's former Ed. is one of the UK's most respected AV journos Anton van Beek: Our avid movie watcher and disc collector cut his teeth on Total DVD Richard Stevenson: Former Editor of the UK CE trade journal ERT Ed Selley: Audiophile Ed mixes his home cinema passion with a love of vinyl Steve Withers: Movie fan, display calibrator and object-based audio obsessive…

Turtle power Seth Rogen and Brendan O’Brien, the brains behind the two Bad Neighbours comedies, have been tapped to produce a new CG-animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot. Due to hit cinemas in 2023, the ‘toon will be directed by The Mitchells vs The Machines helmer Jeff Rowe. Evil to the Max Evil Dead Rise has found a home at HBO Max. Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell are returning to exec produce the film, which follows two estranged sisters battling demonic forces as the horror moves from the woods to the city. Period Predator? Actress Amber Midthunder has landed the lead role of Comanche warrior woman Kee in Skulls, filmmaker Dan Trachtenberg’s upcoming addition to the Predator franchise that looks like a return to the survivalist-slasher roots of the 1987…

CALLING DR. JONES Indiana is back and looks better than ever on 4K Blu-ray p92 The big new buzzword in the TV world is mini LED. This premium backlighting technology uses much smaller LEDs than those found on conventional LED-lit LCD screens, allowing more to be deployed behind the glass. The result is a boost to both potential brightness and contrast, particularly if the mini LEDs – which typically number in their thousands – are driven by a healthy amount of separate dimming zones. The first brand to seriously introduce mini LED technology to the TV world was Chinese giant TCL. Yet sadly for UK shoppers those debut mini LED models didn’t make it to our shores. That’s changing for 2021 courtesy of TCL’s new C825 range, represented here by…

THERE’S A LOT going on with JBL’s Tour One headphones. Bluetooth compatibility and noise cancelling aren't rare features at this price, but the option of also using the latter with a wired connection is somewhat unusual. So too is JBL’s implementation of a low-latency mode specifically for use with video content. There’s also support for either Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa voice interaction, and a partnering app with preset EQ modes and a custom tool. These closed-back cans are lightweight, with a nice cushioned feel to headband and earcups. You get a hardshell carry case and flat 2.5mm-3.5mm cable. I found the on-body controls (which include playback touch commands on the right cup), a little fiddly/unintuitive, so use the app where possible. Performance is agreeable, with a lively, full-bodied feel…

Mistaking ambiguity for profundity, The Little Things wastes Oscar winners Denzel Washington, Rami Malek and Jared Leto on a dull, plodding serial killer thriller that brings nothing new to the genre. Denied a UHD disc release, it still looks killer on Blu-ray, reproducing a generally gloomy aesthetic and the occasional pockets of rich colour that punctuate it. Two featurettes are also included: one about the main cast, the other exploring Washington’s different cop roles in Ricochet, Fallen, Training Day and The Little Things.…

➜ INDIANA JONES: 4-MOVIE COLLECTION When filmmaking giants George Lucas and Steven Spielberg teamed up 40 years ago, the result was a Summer smash that was still playing cinemas 12 months later. A rousing, breathless throwback to the pulp adventure serials of the 1930s and 1940s, Raiders of the Lost Ark mixed non-stop action, astonishing stunts and a sharp sense of humour with hair-raising, face-melting frights that you wouldn’t get away with in a family action movie today. It also presented Harrison Ford with a career-defining role as the sardonic, whip-cracking, Nazi-bashing, archeologist-turned-action hero Indiana Jones. Raiders… spawned a franchise to rival the popularity of Star Wars. The first sequel, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) took our hero to India for an encounter with an ancient cult…

Actor/director/co-writer Sammo Hung battles the undead, an unfaithful wife and an evil sorcerer in this landmark 1980 horror-comedy that blends Chinese folklore, kung fu and slapstick humour to dizzying effect – and ushered in a whole new sub-genre in Asian cinema in the process. Based on a new 2K restoration, Eureka Classics’ 2.39:1 Full HD encode majors on bold colours and exquisite textures, and is accompanied by a choice of four lossless soundtracks. Extras include an informative chat-track, an archival interview with Hung, and a 24-page booklet.…

➜ MY FAIR LADY For some this award-winning 1964 musical reworking of Pygmalion is three hours of Audrey Hepburn screeching in faux-cockney at an abusive misogynist who should be in jail. For others, like ourselves, it’s a Technicolor treat combining charm, wit and fantastic musical numbers. Hepburn plays the irrepressible Eliza Doolittle, an impoverished flower girl who shows up at the home of pompous phonetics professor Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison) seeking lessons in speaking ‘proper’ English, hoping that it may help her get work in a flower shop. Wagering on the outcome with a friend (Wilfrid Hyde-White), Higgins is convinced he’ll be able to pass Eliza off as a duchess at an upcoming embassy ball — but he hasn’t realised the scale of the task at hand or the effect it…

Shot in digital 2K with a deliberately muted aesthetic, this psychological horror isn't an obvious candidate for a 4K upgrade, However, in going back to the original digital files used to create selected 35mm theatrical prints, Second Sight’s 2160p encode does conjure a more refined image, while HDR10 grading brightens things up considerably in comparison to the BD. (while retaining areas of deep, inky shadow). New extras include a commentary and interviews.…

This fast and playful Oscar winner stars Robert Redford and Paul Newman as a pair of Depression-era grifters orchestrating the ultimate ‘big con’ to get revenge on the mob boss (Robert Shaw) responsible for the death of a friend. Despite The Sting’s handsome production values, there are some things this 1.85:1-framed 4K HDR10 encode simply can’t overcome, such as the shifts in clarity and sharpness that come from the repeated use of optical fades and dissolves. That said, it is a substantial upgrade on the lacklustre 1080p Blu-ray encode of its 2012 release.…

➜ Lucasfilm, Disney+ An eighth season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series in all but name, this spin-off ‘toon focuses on the exploits of the Clone Force 99 (aka ‘the Bad Batch’), an elite squad of genetically modified Clone Troopers – Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, Crosshair and Echo – first introduced in that earlier show’s final season. Fittingly, where …The Clone Wars ended with Order 66, …The Bad Batch begins there, with our heroes struggling to understand why their fellow troopers (and one of their own) have turned against the Jedi. The feature-length opener then follows these ‘defective’ clones as the former Galactic Republic is replaced by an Imperial Empire and Admiral Tarkin arrives to assess whether Clone Troopers still have a role to play. Unsurprisingly, our protagonists don’t…

01 Pioneer UDP-LX800 ➜ £2,200 A phenomenal universal disc spinner, which adds audiophile-grade music playback to its 4K BD talents. Includes Dolby Vision support, with HDR10+ promised via future firmware. Build quality is staggering. HCC #293 02 Panasonic DP-UB9000 ➜ £850 Supporting both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, and incorporating useful image adjustments, this premium player is at the leading edge of UHD BD playback. The astonishing construction and provision of VOD apps heighten its appeal. HCC #292 03 Pioneer UDP-LX500 ➜ £1,000 Lacks the audiophile features (including XLR output) of the UDP-LX800 but still sounds sublime with CD and hi-res audio. Dolby Vision playback, with HDR10+ due via firmware. No VOD apps. HCC #296 04 Sony UBP-X700 ➜ £200 A compact player updated to Dolby Vision support, the UBP-X700 has…

01 REL S/812 ➜ £2,300 A fine update of REL’s upper-tier Serie S, with a new driver design, punchier amp and revised signal filtering delivering a powerful, poised performance from a glamourous cabinet with stacking potential. HCC #305 02 SVS 3000 Micro ➜ £900 The US brand cooks up its smallest sub yet, employing dual 8in woofers (and 800W Sledge DSP amp of its conventional 3000 Series) to deliver cinematic LF thrills from an oh-so-discreet enclosure. EQ tools are part of the package. HCC #321 03 Bowers & Wilkins DB1D ➜ £3,750 This sequel to the DB1 moves EQ to an app and changes driver/amp design. Beautifully controlled performance with depth and detail. Gorgeous bodywork. HCC #277 04 SVS SB-2000 Pro ➜ £900 Capable of delivering deep bass from its…

Karloff at Columbia Gorgeous restorations of six movies made by horror icon Boris Karloff at Columbia Pictures between 1935 and 1942. Label Eureka lays on a slate of bonus bits, including chat tracks and radio plays. HCC #321 The Terror: The Complete First Season AMC’s chilling 10-part historical horror [2018] starring Jared Harris and Ciaran Hinds finally weighs anchor on UK Blu-ray. HD images impress, audio is vanilla Dolby Digital 5.1. HCC #321 Lovecraft Country: The Complete First Season HBO’s excellent horror/drama series, which riffs on the themes of pulp writer H. P. Lovecraft, hits BD with spooktacular 1.78:1 encodes and atmospheric DTS-HD MA 5.1 mixes. HCC #319 Straight Shooting & Hell Bent: Two Films by John Ford Two early flicks [1917 and 1918] from the Western pioneer hit Blu-ray,…

Loki (Disney+) Tom Hiddleston’s God of Mischief is roped in to help fix the timeline in this latest MCU streaming series. Mare of Easttown (Sky Atlantic) The best TV drama of the year so far? We think so. Kate Winslet excels as a smalltown cop with a murder mystery to solve in a gripping seven-parter. Jungle Fever (BD) The BFI’s superb new release of this underrated Spike Lee joint is sure to get your temperature rising. Zack Snyder’s Justice League (4K BD) This reconstructed comic book epic delivers heroic 4K HDR visuals and Atmos audio on this double-disc UHD release. Stray (BD) Beautiful ‘dogumentary’ using a trio of feral hounds in Istanbul to explore some very human concerns.…

BenQ has expanded its range of Android TV-enabled 4K projectors with the W1800i. Priced £1,100, the 4K DLP beamer supports HDR10 and HLG playback (plus 3D at 1080p), and uses Google’s Android TV platform to enable voice control and access to apps via the Google Play store – Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ are integrated out of the box. The projector claims a brightness output of 2,000 Lumens and a 10,000:1 contrast (but misses out on the Dynamic Iris of pricier BenQ models). Setup tools include a 1.3x optical zoom, vertical keystone correction and picture rotation. Although 4K HDR playback is enabled by dual HDMI 2.0 inputs, the PJ doesn't offer wide colour performance, instead guaranteeing 100 per cent reproduction of the REC.709 colour space. BenQ says every model is…

Telly maker Sharp has launched a pair of 'frameless' TV ranges designed to 'blend effortlessly into the living room environment.' Both the DN and DL series are 4K HDR-enabled and run the Android TV 9.0 OS. Integrated speaker systems are from Harman/Kardon. Buyers seeking a genuine bigscreen experience will likely be tempted by the 65DL3KA (£730) or 65DN3KA (£750), both 65in models. Yet despite there being only a £20 difference in ticket price, the inclusion of Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos support on the DN model makes it look like an obvious upgrade. There are also 50in options in both series, priced £530 (50DL3KA) and £550 (50DN3KA). Again, the pricier set enjoys the Dolby tech. All four of Sharp’s TVs feature HDMI 2.0 connections, Bluetooth and USB multimedia playback.…

Black Widow, the long-awaited standalone movie for ex-KGB agent turned Avenger Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), will finally debut in UK cinemas on July 9 – and simultaneously be available to watch via Disney+ as a 'Premier Access' video-on-demand title. The 24th film in the MCU, originally scheduled for a theatrical release last Summer, is set between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, and sees Romanoff’s past come back to haunt her……

With price tags of £980 for its 55in version and £1,500 for a 65in model, Philips' OLED705 TV (in shops now) is positioned as a high-value alternative to its premium 8 and 9 Series screens. Dolby Vision and HDR10+ playback are joined by three-sided Ambilight, DTS Play-Fi support and the Android smart system, while audio comes via a 40W-rated 2.1 speaker array. Picture fettling is handled by Philips' P5 Perfect Picture Engine silicon, not the step-up 'AI' iteration.…

AGENT ORANGE Daisy Ridley watches out for the fashion police… p90 Even though it’s a relatively new TV technology, it’s already obvious that not all mini LED TVs, which replace a conventional LED backlight with one featuring thousands of tiny light sources, are created equal. A mini LED backlight is only one part of the picture quality story – the number of available dimming zones is another. And in the case of this 75in range-topper from Samsung, it’s a story with a happy ending. Elsewhere in this issue we audition a relatively affordable (£1,500) 4K mini LED set from TCL that combines its backlight with local dimming across 160 zones. Here, we’re looking at a high-end (£7,000) 8K mini LED TV that boasts an eye-popping 1,920 local dimming zones. And…

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. This means the KANN Alpha (£1,100) can pump out 6V from its unbalanced 3.5mm connection, and no less than 12V from its two balanced outputs – one a 2.5mm connection historically preferred by Astell&Kern, the other the newer 4.4mm type. If you don’t want to use a cable at all, Bluetooth 5.0, supporting aptX and LDAC, is integrated. The KANN Alpha’s internal circuitry is fully balanced, facilitated by a pair of ESS Sabre DACs running in dual mono.…

Between this and Mogul Mowgli, actor Riz Ahmed appears to be the go-to guy for playing musicians suffering from debilitating illnesses. Truth be told, they’re actually very different films, with this story of a drummer losing his hearing used as the basis for an evocative exploration of the deaf community. As good as this shot-on-35mm film looks on BD, it’s the inventive, disconcerting DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack that really grabs your attention. Sadly there are no extras – maybe they’re being saved for the rumoured Criterion Collection release?…

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Sony Interactive Entertainment/Insomniac Games ➜ PS5 ➜ £60 We’ve had a few games on next-gen consoles that have highlighted some of their talents, but few do so to the extent of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. It is, quite simply, the best showcase for the PlayStation 5 yet. That’s because it wrings every drop out of the machine’s several key features. Even the game’s very premise requires the console’s innate power. Dimensional portals have been opened (accidentally), separating our eponymous heroes and sending them to another dimension. They, plus new cast members Rift and Kit, must jump between additional dimensions regularly, to solve puzzles and ultimately stop the plans of series’ stalwart villain Dr Nefarious. This is something that is simply impossible to pull off…

The directorial debut of future action legend Yuen Woo-Ping, 1978’s Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow is notable for starting Jackie Chan down the path towards the martial arts-comedy genre that would become his natural home. It’s pretty rough around the edges and falls short of the duo’s next collaboration (the seminal Drunken Master), but genre fans will still find plenty to enjoy. It’s made all the more palatable by the restored 2.40:1 Full HD encode and welcome set of chat-tracks and interviews on 88 Films’ well-specced Blu-ray.…

E.T. meets It in J.J. Abrams’ 2011 sci-fi blockbuster, which overcomes a lack of much originality by backing up its nostalgic wallow through familiar genre tropes with plenty of emotional depth. Paramount’s 4K HDR upgrade is modest, only bringing a slight uptick in detailing over the Blu-ray (not helped by the mixture of camera sources deployed). The Dolby Vision grade’s improved black levels and colour balance are more noteworthy. Audio hasn’t been reimagined, but scenes like the train crash in Chapter 3 show the old Dolby TrueHD 7.1 track can still blow you way.…

The first and best of the long-running horror franchise (whose ninth instalment recently hit cinemas), this nifty low-budget thriller largely eschews the overblown deathtraps of its sequels in favour of a simpler ‘escape room’ concept. As well as the improved sharpness and richer colours evident in its grainy 2160p Dolby Vision encode, this 4K disc also offers remixed Atmos audio and a new hour-long retrospective doc. Two commentaries are also included on the 4K disc, while the bundled Blu-ray copy of the movie adds further archival bits.…

➜ COLUMBIA NOIR #3 Indicator’s ongoing plundering of the Columbia Pictures vault for film noirs pays dividends once again with a sextet of hard-boiled crime movies. This time around we get the slick and sharp Johnny O’Clock (1947), psychoanalytical thriller The Dark Past (1948), prison drama Convicted (1950, a remake of Howard Hawks’ The Criminal Code), proto-buddy-cop flick Between Midnight and Dawn (1950), the chilling The Sniper (1952), and the radioactive paranoia of City of Fear (1959). Are they all 'classics' of the genre? No. Do they still provide rich pickings for noir fans? Yes, and even the weakest of the collection is never anything less than enjoyable. Picture: According to the booklet included in the boxset, Johnny O’Clock was ‘sourced from Sony’s 2K master, supervised by [Technical Specialist at…

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier [Disney+] Disney keeps the MCU bubbling with this superb six-part series. Buddy movie vibes, gorgeous 4K HDR visuals and plenty of callbacks (and call-forwards…) to the film franchise. HCC #320 Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse [Prime Video] Michael B. Jordan brings star power to this fast-paced and noisy actioner, but there’s little he can do about the convoluted plot. The inventive 5.1 surround mix is a highlight. HCC #321 Greenland [Prime Video] Fast-paced and often nerve-wracking disaster flick that pits Gerard Butler’s family man against crashing comet debris and traffic jams. Mid-budget, high-energy fun with zingy HDR10+ grading. HCC #319 News of the World [Netflix] Known for directing tense thriller fare, Paul Greengrass slows down the pace with this handsome, inviting Western starring Tom Hanks.…

01 Denon AVR-X4700H ➜ £1,400 Denon’s first AV amplifier to support 8K and 4K/120fps isn’t just playing games. This nine-channel model sounds powerful and entertaining, and drips with feature tricks (including IMAX Enhanced, HEOS and Bluetooth headphone support). HCC #314 02 Arcam AVR30 ➜ £5,000 Arcam adds a new aesthetic, expanded features (including Wi-Fi and Auro-3D) and 16-channel processing to the seven-channel Class G topology and Dirac EQ of the previous AVR850 – the result is home cinema nirvana. HCC #313 03 Anthem MRX 740 ➜ £2,800 Premium price for a seven-channel AVR, but the MRX 740 adds 11-channel processing, ARC Genesis room EQ and HDMI 2.1 upgrade path to a sound performance that mixes power and delicacy. HCC #321 04 Emotiva XPA-11 ➜ £2,400 11-channel amplifier that offers supreme…

The Nioh Collection Two PS4 games – Nioh and Nioh 2 – get reborn on the PS5 with the option of 120Hz playback, and the experience is exhilarating. The games are fun too: combat-led action/RPGs with challenging boss fights. HCC #319 Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War The first COD game available on the next-gen PS5 and Xbox X/S consoles makes good use of their graphical talents. Not the most original FPS game ever, but one of the best looking. HCC #317 Hitman 3 A tight story, clever episodic form factor and the ability to import missions from its predecessors makes Hitman 3 a fitting end to the World of Assassination trilogy. Native 4K HDR playout on next-gen consoles. HCC #318 Star Wars: Squadrons With a story set after…

01 Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar ➜ £2,200 The audio specialist’s debut soundbar makes a dramatic entrance. 13 drivers, including 4in woofers, create a cinematic soundstage, with impressive immersion via Atmos, DTS:X and Sennheiser’s Ambeo processing. Big and bold. HCC #302 02 Bang & Olufsen Beosound Stage ➜ £1,250 B&O’s Dolby Atmos debut makes a dramatic entrance, conjuring an enlarged, gutsy and refined soundstage, with impressive bass weight despite the lack of a sub, from a conventional form factor. Styling and build is first-rate. HCC #310 03 Samsung HW-Q950T ➜ £1,400 9.1.4-channel system with wireless rears and sub delivers precise soundstaging, detail, dynamism and full-range impact as good as any at this price. Smart styling and good connectivity too. HCC #318 04 Harman/Kardon Citation Multibeam 700 ➜ £450 Google Assistant soundbar that’s…

Manhattan T3 Freeview Play 4K, £80 Do you need an HDD PVR in the streaming era? This Freeview Play box loads up catchup via a responsive UI, offers welcome Watchlist functionality, and is ready for 4K HLG HDR Sky Q, £subscription Sky’s new top-tier product offering dazzles with its image-rich user interface, wireless multiroom skills and recording flexibility delivered by the PVR’s 12 tuners. Now supports 4K content Humax Aura, £varies The PVR honcho teams up with Google for this Android-powered triple-tuner Freeview Play machine in 1TB (£250) and 2TB (£280) flavours. 4K HDR capable, it uses voice search and slick UI to make operation a joy. Humax DTR-T4000, £subscription This YouView-based PVR is required to get BT Sport’s new Ultra HD channel – available to those with BT fast…

DALI Katch, £330 Portable Bluetooth speaker (aptX-capable) with stereo driver array and gorgeous design. Excellent blend of low-end punch and mid-range/treble detail. Rechargeable battery life is rated at 24 hours JBL Charge 5, £160 JBL’s battery-powered, portable Bluetooth speaker stalwart continues to impress in its fifth-gen iteration. IP67 waterproof rated and built to last, it packs a surprisingly potent performance from a small chassis Denon Home 350, £600 Denon’s HEOS speaker range is reborn and this six-driver model is a fine flagship. Its sound is expressive and dynamic, with real mid-range drive, and the HEOS streaming platform remains super-slick Klipsch The Fives, £830 Active stereo pair with horn-loaded tweeters, 4.5in midbass drivers and a claimed 160W power plant. Dynamic performance is backed up by extensive connectivity including HDMI ARC and…