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Televisions
Sony XR-55A84K OLED TV review
John Archer  |  Mar 13, 2023  |  0 comments
hcchighreccomendExplaining where the 55A84K fits into Sony's current TV scheme of things is no easy task. First we need to clear up that it's a traditional 'White OLED' (WOLED) design, with white sub-pixel, not a new Quantum Dot OLED set. This should mean that its pictures are (probably) not as bright or richly coloured as Sony's A95K QD OLED (HCC #337) – although at £1,299, the 55in model tested here is a great deal more affordable than its same-sized A95K sibling.
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Opinion
Streaming isn't going anywhere, but it’s going to cost a lot more in future
Jon Thompson  |  Mar 03, 2023  |  0 comments
As Disney replaces its CEO and announces a $1.5bn loss on streaming, Jon Thompson predicts changes to the SVOD landscape.
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AV Receivers
Marantz Cinema 50 AV receiver review
Steve May  |  Mar 02, 2023  |  0 comments
What better way to put this Marantz high-end home cinema amplifier through its paces than with some high-brow music. Specifically, Winter, from Vivaldi's The Four Seasons (or, as I like to call it, Le quattro stagioni). The trilling of violins, beautifully elucidated by this amplifier's melodious HDAM amplification, is sublime, and I just love the way the strings are dramatically engulfed by a full orchestral storm… and heavy weapons fire.
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News
Hands-on: Samsung previews 2023 QD OLED, Neo QLED Mini LED and 4K QLED TVs
Steve May  |  Feb 28, 2023  |  0 comments
Next-generation Samsung QD OLED screens, Neo QLED models with Mini LED backlighting, and a raft of largescreen 4K smart TVs have made their European bow at a 'Tech Summit and Showcase' held in Frankfurt. The 2023 models, which will hit stores sooner rather than later, represent the most comprehensive lineup of TV technology yet seen from Samsung.
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Pro-Install
Home cinema install: Movies and music
Daniel Sait  |  Feb 27, 2023  |  0 comments
This multipurpose AV space hides a full-fat Dolby Atmos system with four subwoofers, but puts its dedicated stereo speakers on display.
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Soundbars/Soundbases
Bang & Olufsen Beosound Theatre soundbar review
Steve May  |  Feb 23, 2023  |  0 comments
Soundbars don't come any more premium than this 18kg whopper from Danish design honcho Bang & Olufsen. Rather than shoot for the mainstream, the brand has gone seriously upmarket with a component that's as uncompromising as it is exhilarating...
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Opinion
Room correction and EQ is a tremendous thing, but are we in danger of losing the personal touch?
Ed Selley  |  Feb 22, 2023  |  0 comments
As I write this, I am listening to a digital file, streamed from my NAS, via the Roon music management platform, into a DAC and from there 
to an amplifier driving a pair of speakers. There are any number of EQ and DSP options open to me in Roon but every single one of them is bypassed or switched off...
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Software Features
Movies you won't want to miss in 2023!
Anton van Beek & Mark Craven  |  Feb 21, 2023  |  0 comments
With Hollywood hoping for a post-pandemic bounce-back at the box office, this year's movie slate features returns for the Mission: Impossible crew, John Wick and Adonis Creed, plus a certain professor of archaeology...
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News
Philips previews huge 2023 TV range, including high brightness Meta OLED flagship
Steve May  |  Feb 07, 2023  |  0 comments
Philips has revealed its latest OLED flagship TV, the OLED+908, at a huge 2023 range reveal in Amsterdam. The new model looks likely to be a top-of-the-line choice for home cinema enthusiasts, not least because it’s the first from the brand to use the latest LG Display Micro Lens Array (MLA) panel, coupled to a proprietary META brightness Boosting algorithm.
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Televisions
Panasonic TX-55LZ1500 OLED TV Review
John Archer  |  Jan 26, 2023  |  0 comments
hcc_recommendedJohn Archer rates Panasonic's step-down OLED TV as an unmissable bargain for anyone who already has an immersive sound system

Rival OLED manufacturers are really getting started with new types of high-brightness panel designs, but Panasonic has been at it for years – with consistently great results. A catch has been that the brand's hardware-enhanced OLED TVs have tended to pile on the (Great British) pounds.

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