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Ed Selley  |  Dec 13, 2011  |  0 comments
Six shooter hits all its targets in style A package that goes one speaker better than the rest, says Ed Selley

In the same week when all six Star Wars films appear on Blu-ray with a brand, spanking new six-channel soundtrack, Acoustic Energy has launched the Compact Neo 6.1 system. This £850 setup matches the existing Neo subwoofer with six Compact One speakers.

Ed Selley  |  Dec 13, 2011  |  0 comments
Radiating power Danny Philips is impressed by the punch delivered by these slim Jims, and he can’t wait to get them up on his wall alongside his flatpanel TV

Finding the right speaker system to go with a wall-mounted TV can be tricky, but this one is built to deliver the same sort of dynamism and punch as full-size speakers, according to the makers.

Ed Selley  |  Dec 13, 2011  |  0 comments
Full-range frugal audio Danny Phillips auditions a 5-channel system that’s got legs

Danish brand Jamo has been exciting home cinema senses for years with killer audio kit that won’t break the bank. A case in point is the £260 S426 HCS3, a system that features a pair of 910mm-high S426 floorstanding speakers at the front, which isn’t something you’d expect for this price. They’re joined by a pair of bookshelf surround channels (S420 SUR) and a centre speaker (S420 CEN). The system doesn’t come with a subwoofer as standard, but you can add the SUB 260, which incredibly costs more (£300) than the rest of the package put together…

Ed Selley  |  Dec 12, 2011  |  0 comments
Passive effective has finally arrived LG’s debut Nano technology TV promises unrivalled LED pictures. John Archer discovers if that’s the case

While it’s now established that passive 3D technology is a great, family-friendly alternative to active 3D where 42in and possibly 47in screen sizes are concerned, I personally have had my doubts that LG’s new 3D approach works on bigger screens.

Ed Selley  |  Dec 12, 2011  |  0 comments
No lightweight… This slimline AVR re-imagines home cinema for the network age. Steve May hums The Times They Are a-Changin’…

Whether through luck or design, Marantz has created something rather special with the NR1602. Driven by a desire to innovate within the often stultifying constraints of hardcore AV, the company has taken the traditional hefty AVR form factor and chopped it in half. The result is a component with a good deal more va-va-voom than its peers.

Ed Selley  |  Dec 12, 2011  |  0 comments
Mid-range marvel Sony continues its 3D resurrection with its latest 40in TV, says John Archer

Sony’s EX723 series turned out to be some of the worst 3D performers we’ve seen, but subsequent 3D models have upped the brand’s game. On paper at least, this set looks equipped to do the business. It carries MotionFlow XR 400 processing; a system that combines the detail boosting, noise-reducing qualities of Sony’s new X-Reality picture engine with a 400Hz effect to hopefully kick crosstalk into touch.

Ed Selley  |  Dec 12, 2011  |  0 comments
Raw power, no frills Richard Stevenson auditions the wild child of audio visual receivers and finds that this non-conformist is a credit to the NAD lineage

NAD is not a brand to follow the masses. In fact, while the AVR herd are grazing on features and connecting to the milking machine of network integration, NAD receivers are more ‘free range’. The T757 goes a step further and is truly feral. What we have here is a significantly wallet-wrenching AV receiver that has thrown off what are considered basic features on even budget models costing one-fifth of the price. Instead, this chunky beast concentrates on sonic performance, delivering your speakers an ultra- clean analogue signal designed to make your ears love you. I would even go so far as to say that its dark grey exterior and clean lines make it the best-looking NAD receiver yet, too.

Ed Selley  |  Dec 12, 2011  |  0 comments
3D’s going Places Toshiba’s 47VL863B is its first passive 3D TV. John Archer finds out if it helps or hinders the passive argument

Ed Selley  |  Dec 12, 2011  |  1 comments
Welcome to the extra dimension In striving to produce a good 3D projector, Panasonic has actually delivered a brilliant 2D one, reckons John Archer

From the moment I first saw Panasonic’s new PT-AT5000 3D projector running alongside its AE4000 predecessor at a swanky launch event in Los Angeles, I knew it was going to be something special. Though not necessarily because of its headlining 3D talents.

Ed Selley  |  Dec 12, 2011  |  0 comments
Bigscreen 3D for the masses Sony’s second-generation 3D projector is a sensation regardless of dimension, says an enthusiastic Steve May

If I was building a dedicated home cinema tomorrow, I would, without doubt, install a 3D projector. While cynics continue to shrug at the tsunami tide of 3D flatscreen TVs heading our way, and I also have some reservations, I’ve yet to meet anyone who’s walked away from a 3D home projector demo who didn’t have a grin on their face.

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