Welcome to our latest Rewind news digest, where we recap the top hi-fi and home cinema stories to break over the past week.
It was a particularly busy one, especially for the home cinema team, who had everything from the launch of a fresh Dolby Atmos system from Yamaha to a new “premium” portable projector from LG to contend with.
On top of all that, our hi-fi team continued to diligently work through the growing line of products waiting to get the What Hi-Fi? review treatment in our listening rooms.
Here’s everything you need to know.
1. Yamaha has a new Dolby Atmos soundbar system
The Samsung Q990F earned a five-star rating when we tested it less than a month ago. But, its dominance is already set to be challenged thanks to the launch of the even more premium Yamaha True X Surround 90A last week.
Carrying an even more premium price tag, the system is full of custom hardware, with Yamaha having taken painstaking care with every part of the product – including some cool upgrades to the new wireless subwoofer.
If that wasn’t enough to excite you, our senior staff writer, Lewis Empson, even managed to get an exclusive early listen with the system at Yamaha’s offices in Japan, where he walked away impressed and eager to get it in for full review.
Read our full Yamaha True X Surround 90A hands-on impressions
2. Acoustic Energy’s standmounts are a slow burning hit
Last week our hi-fi reviewers delivered their definitive verdict on Acoustic Energy’s AE300 Mk2 standmount speakers.
After hours upon hours of listening we’re pleased to report they are an incredibly capable pair of speakers, especially considering their surprisingly affordable price tag (£649 / $1099 / AU$1580).
Despite looking a little unassuming, featuring a monotone finish that looks a little conservative compared to their B&W and Q Acoustics rivals, the AE300Mk2 are an interesting pair of speakers that grew on our testers the more they listened to them.
Paired with price compatible amplification – in our case the Arcam A5 integrated amplifier (£749 / $699), then the Rega Brio Mk7 (£799 / $1095) – they initially sounded competent, but unremarkable.
But, as we shifted through our standard suite of test tracks and swapped them out with rivals, their poised and controlled sonic character grew on us more and more, leading our reviewers to report:
“These Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 are up against some tough competition, but we feel their controlled and detailed presentation serves them well. They don’t try to bite off more than they can chew, and in the process deliver a superbly judged sound that works well across musical genres and with a wide range of electronics.”
Read our in-depth Acoustic Energy AE300 Mk2 review
3. We reviewed Samsung’s 48-inch, step-down OLED
For many years, if you checked our best OLED TV guide, you would usually see at least one 48-inch LG C-series OLED.
But, that may have changed this year with the arrival of several new fantastic 48-inch rivals in our viewing rooms, including the 48-inch Samsung S90F we finished reviewing last week.
Comparing it directly to the five-star 48-inch LG C5 we reviewed earlier in the month and 48-inch Panasonic Z90B (review incoming) we found plenty to like about the set.
Though it features a WOLED panel, rather than the brighter QD-OLED found on Samsung’s flagship S95F and its larger 65-inch sibling, the S90F can still go plenty bright. In fact, it goes so bright we had to temper its settings to get the best results.
Once tweaked, it delivered a punchy, enjoyable home movie experience that, coupled with its flawless gaming specifications, make it a great choice for any buyer who is short on space, or who simply doesn’t fancy having a giant 55-inch-plus set dominate their lounge.
Our only word of caution is to make sure to invest in a soundbar. While the S90F’s speakers are better than the C5’s, they’re still far too weedy to provide an immersive home cinema experience, based on our testing.
Read our in-depth 48-inch Samsung S90F review
4. LG has a new “premium” portable projector
Our staff writer, Robyn Quick, has been locked in our viewing rooms testing more portable and small-form-factor projectors than they care to count over the past few weeks.
And in that process they’ve developed one key wish – a truly brilliant premium option in the tiny projector market to complement the growing tide of mid- and entry-level options currently on offer.
Last week, LG took steps to deliver just that, unveiling its new CineBeam S – a tiny UST unit the firm promises will offer a “premium” home cinema experience.
The tiny rectangular unit targets the same space as Samsung’s rival The Premiere 5. While it’s too early for us to comment on performance it does have some interesting specifications.
Highlights include a short throw distance that can project a 40-100-inch image, 450,000:1 contrast ratio and ”Dolby Atmos-compatible” stereo speakers system.
Read the full story: LG’s latest ultra-portable 4K projector is here to challenge Samsung’s The Premiere 5
5. Noble launched new wildly expensive IEMs
Finishing off this week’s Rewind column, we have a fresh announcement from Noble Audio.
Specifically, the unveiling of its swish new Kronos in-ear monitors (IEM). The new flagship IEMs come with a wealth of premium features and price tag to match, retailing for a hefty $4500 / £4100 / €4750.
The earbuds are an evolution of the special edition Chronicle model Noble launched to celebrate its 10th anniversary.
Technical highlights include a premium titanium chassis that houses a custom-made nine-driver-per-earbud configuration and a six-way crossover network.
Noble promises the hardware will let the Kronos deliver unparalleled performance – though we’ll reserve judgement on this claim until we’ve had a chance to properly test them.
Read the full story: Noble’s wildly expensive IEMs feature a titanium design and a complex multi-driver design
MORE:
These are the best headphones we’ve tested
We rate the best 40-inch TVs
Our picks of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars