• The Sopranos: The Complete Series is a limited edition 4K Blu-ray release
• 86 episodes over 28 discs including 2 bonus Blu-rays
• December 2026 (US), $149.99

One of the greatest TV dramas of all time is coming to 4K Blu-ray. The Sopranos: The Complete Series box set is available for pre-order in the US and Canada, and will be released at the end of 2026.

This far from the first Sopranos box set: in addition to the DVD box set I've got on the shelf, there was a Blu-ray box in 2014, plus a 25th anniversary Blu-ray box set in 2024, which included The Many Saints of Newark as well. So this is the first time it's all available in 4K.

This edition delivers a brand new and currently untitled featurette with Sopranos creator and writer David Chase. That featurette is on one of the two bonus discs that also include hours of extra material including a two-part documentary, seven behind-the-scenes featurettes, and all of the bonus content previously released on The Sopranos: Complete Series Blu-ray release. And it's all delivered in hardcover lay-flat book packaging.

For fans of the show, this looks like the ultimate release: the best-looking, most pristine way to see one of the most influential TV shows ever.

Why The Sopranos in 4K is a must-have mafia drama

The Sopranos tells the story of depressed mob boss Tony Soprano, who's going to therapy in secret because he knows that if word gets out about his "weakness", he's a dead man walking. It's as much about family as it is about mafia families, and it features stellar performances throughout.

During its run the show amassed multiple well-deserved awards including 111 Primetime Emmy nominations and 21 wins, 5 Golden Globe awards, and Emmys for cast members James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli, Drea de Matteo, and Joe Pantoliano.

I'm not being hyperbolic when I tell you that The Sopranos began a golden age of TV drama. Without The Sopranos, there would be no Breaking Bad, Mad Men or any of the other premium shows we love so much.

It was pivotal in shifting the view that TV was inferior to cinema, and that our relatable protagonists couldn't be awful people. And it was really, really, really good: the writing, the performances and the cinematography were all superb.

While much of the praise for The Sopranos centers on the cast, and rightly so, the work of cinematographer Alik Sakharov was crucial too. The cinematography was groundbreaking in how it contributed to the story, and there's a fascinating article about it on No Film School. And if that's the kind of thing you find interesting, then this new 4K box set was made for you.

The Sopranos 4K Blu-ray box set has a release date of 8 December 2026 in the US and a recommended price of $149.99.

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• 'The Closet' is a faithful recreation of the famous Criterion Closet
• Browse in full 3D (the correct option) or in list view (boo)
• Connects to the Criterion Channel for easy streaming

If you've always wanted to browse the Criterion Closet but haven't been able to because (a) it's in New York and (b) you're not a famous actor, then Redditor olievans has just the thing for you: the entire Criterion Closet in virtual 3D form, explorable right in your web browser.

You can can take a look at The Closet right in that link. It features 1,327 Criterion editions, all shelved in the order of their spine numbers, and you can pull each disc box out from the shelf to inspect the design more closely. You can also filter the collection by decade, director, country, language and more — the physical version can't do that.

If you're not familiar with the Criterion Closet, it's a library of the special-edition disc sets released the film distributor Criterion, which been releasing much-coveted discs with beautiful art, great extra features, and often unique high-quality restorations since the age of Laserdisc.

Since 2010, the real Closet has been a place where directors, actors and other well-known faces — from Martin Scorcese to Charli XCX — are filmed picking their must-see movies from the range.

Why it's fun to be in the Closet

The Closet is available in two flavors: a full 3D reproduction of the iconic closet, and in list form. The list is more functional but a lot less fun because you don't get the surprise of finding This Is Spinal Tap immediately next to The Seventh Seal.

The website is a really fun way to browse one of the world's best movie collections, and while there are a few issues — it's not really obvious how to get your mouse cursor back, so on my Mac I had to press Esc twice to return to the home page and escape the closet — it's beautifully done and the closest thing you'll get to the real thing without first getting some IMDb credits under your belt.

What I really like about this is the discovery element. The Criterion Collection is very wide-ranging, and that means you never know what's going to be next on the shelf: Paris, Texas (number 501) is followed by the Australian thriller Revanche (502) and the historical German romance Lola Montès (503).

That makes it feel very much like the Blu-Ray equivalent of crate digging for exotic vinyl records: the Criterion Closet is full of surprises.

A note from the Editor

Hello! Matt Bolton, Managing Editor for TechRadar's home theater coverage here. As a Blu-ray collector, I've decided to take the opportunity I'll never have in real life and give you my Criterion picks — as in, these are ones I actually own. I'm not going to give you a whole spiel about each one, don't worry — but I'll highlight why

• Anora — a chunky collector's edition, and the best way get a 4K version
• Blow Out — essential for the DTS-HD Master sound, and the 4K restoration
• I Know Where I'm Going — the first 4K restoration of a B&W cinematography classic
• In The Mood For Love — one of my favorite movies, in the highest quality
• Lost Highway — the only way to get it in 4K Dolby Vision with a new DTS-HD sound restoration
• Moonage Daydream — the only way to get this in both Dolby Atmos and uncompressed sound, shockingly
• The Power of the Dog — the only way to get it in the higher bit rate of Blu-ray
• The Red Shoes — one of the most incredible-looking movies of all time, in its best-ever restoration
• Thief — the best-looking version of Michael Mann's grittiest movie

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• Kaleidescape launches the first 8K movie player certified by the 8K Association
• But the new 4K Cinematic format for higher-quality 4K is the exciting bit
• $4,995 (about £3,777 / AU$7,180)

Kaleidescape makes some truly spectacular 4K video players, and now there's an 8K version. It's "the world's highest-fidelity movie player," says chairman and CEO Tayloe Stansbury. "It brings movie lovers closer to the filmmaker's intent, with cleaner detail, true-to-life color, and a more natural presentation that dramatically improves the viewing experience of any display."

It's also a world first. The Kaleidescape Strato K is the first 8K movie player that's been certified for 8K by the 8K Association.

That's good, but the fact that it's the first such accreditation points to the problem with 8K. Buying 8K hardware right now is a bit like being the first person in the world to buy a fax machine: who are you going to send faxes to? Similarly, with 8K movie players and 8K TVs, what 8K movies are actually there for you to watch?

That means the Strato K, while impressive, is a bit of a gamble: you're buying hardware in the hope that the 8K movie trickle will become a flood, and I'm just not sure that rain is ever coming.

So the most important new feature might not be the 8K support, but instead a new format that Kaleidescape calls "4K Cinematic".

Kaleidescape Strato K: key features and price

Kaleidescape's 4K Cinematic is a format designed to deliver even better 4K picture quality, and it does that by using less compression. Movies are encoded at around 110Mbps using the HEVC codec. Kaleidescape says that's compared to around 60Mbps for 4K Blu-Ray, and around 17Mbps for standard 4K streaming services.

It's worth noting that those figures aren't the maximum bitrates for the formats — for example Blu-Ray can go up to 144Mbps, though 80Mbps is a more standard ceiling — but are the bitrates typically used in commercial releases.

In addition to the higher bitrate, 4K Cinematic uses 4:4:4 chroma sampling rather than the 4:2:0 of most commercial movie releases, meaning more accurate colors and less 'banding' or other color artefacts.

The downside of those higher bitrates is that you'll need a lot of storage: as FlatpanelsHD notes, the player only has 1TB of storage – equivalent to around seven 4K Cinematic titles, as those are 1.5x the size of normal 4K movies. Like other Strato players it's really intended to be teamed up with the firm's Terra servers.

Kaleidescape will label the higher-quality movies as 4K Cinematic in its movie store and on the Stratos K interface to differentiate them from standard 4K versions. Prices will be from around $10 to $30, and the initial raft of titles includes Top Gun: Maverick, F1: The Movie, Superman, Project Hail Mary, Dune: Part Two; Sinners, Predator: Badlands, Mortal Kombat II, Avatar, Tron: Ares, Thunderbolts, and others.

4K Cinematic supports Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X — but Dolby Vision isn't supported by the Stratos K player in 8K movies, which are SDR or HDR10. The maximum frame rate for 8K is 30 fps via HDMI 2.1.

The Strato K has a recommended retail price of $4,995, which is $1,000 more than the five-star 4K Strato V. We are really looking forward to seeing what the new movie format looks like…

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If you're looking for the very best Dolby Atmos movies to show off what your that home system you've lovingly researched and chosen can do, then there's a smart list of the 'top 100' options available on a site called Hello Atmos.

This top 100 was curated by the creator of Hello Atmos in order to find the 'consensus' list of the movies that get recommended the most often. It's based on published reviews and lists of great Atmos movies (including ours), plus community recommendations from platforms like Reddit, in the many many threads where people ask for recommendations.

It's all pulled into an algorithm designed by the app's creator, Adrian Wrona, to rank the movies based on how strongly they're recommended, and resulting in the top 100 list.

You can read the full list just below, or see it on the Hello Atmos site, which also includes where you can stream the movies in your country (though it's TechRadar's stance that uncompressed audio from the best 4K Blu-ray players is the only way to really show off your system).

While like any best-of lists there's plenty of opportunity for an argument — is Blade Runner 2049 still a better showcase than Dune? Why isn't Dredd higher up the rankings? — it's a great and eclectic guide to some of the best sounding spatial audio soundtracks, with details of who did the mixing, which is a nice touch.

We've written about Adrian before; another tool on Hello Atmos scans your Apple Music or Spotify playlists to identify which ones are available in Atmos, which is great if you want to really explore spatial audio for music.

The 100 best Dolby Atmos movies, as rated by Hello Atmos

1. Blade Runner 2049
2. Dune
3. Mad Max: Fury Road
4. Ready Player One
5. The Batman
6. Top Gun: Maverick
7. Dune: Part Two
8. Gravity
9. Ford v Ferrari
10. A Quiet Place
11. The Matrix
12. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
13. Pacific Rim
14. 1917
15. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
16. Edge of Tomorrow
17. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
18. Fury
19. Midway
20. Saving Private Ryan
21. Deepwater Horizon
22. Bohemian Rhapsody
23. John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum
24. A Quiet Place Part II
25. Civil War
26. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
27. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
28. Twister
29. Godzilla vs. Kong
30. Roma
31. No Time to Die
32. Transformers
33. Hacksaw Ridge
34. Oblivion
35. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
36. Prey
37. Alita: Battle Angel
38. TRON: Legacy
39. Baby Driver
40. Warfare
41. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
42. Godzilla Minus One
43. Gran Turismo
44. John Wick: Chapter 4
45. Hans Zimmer: Live in Prague
46. Kong: Skull Island
47. Ambulance
48. Twisters
49. Unbroken
50. John Wick

51. Avengers: Endgame
52. Jurassic Park
53. Apocalypse Now
54. Blade Runner
55. First Man
56. Man of Steel
57. Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
58. The Fifth Element
59. Soul
60. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
61. Black Hawk Down
62. 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi
63. John Wick: Chapter 2
64. Dredd
65. Star Trek Into Darkness
66. Deadpool
67. Nope
68. Sinners
69. Brave
70. Doctor Sleep
71. WALL·E
72. F1
73. War of the Worlds
74. Mission: Impossible - Fallout
75. Us
76. Alien: Romulus
77. Everest
78. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
79. Avatar: The Way of Water
80. Ghostbusters: Afterlife
81. 6 Underground
82. Avengers: Infinity War
83. Ballerina
84. Aquaman
85. Titanic
86. Godzilla: King of the Monsters
87. The Guns of Navarone
88. Aliens
89. Nosferatu
90. Uncut Gems
91. Transformers: Dark of the Moon
92. Back to the Future
93. Suspiria
94. Overlord
95. Top Gun
96. Sicario
97. 300
98. Evil Dead Rise
99. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
100. A Quiet Place: Day One

Welcome to a bonus edition of my Blu-ray Bounty column, where I test the latest physical media film releases to see which make great showcases for your setup.

Normally, the Bounty arrives at the end of the month, but in celebration of Blu-ray’s 20th anniversary (on 20th June), I thought I’d check out a few discs released in 2026 that didn’t make it into the Blu-ray Bounty the first time. If you're thinking it just sounds like I wanted to find an excuse to watch some cool movies while at work… well, no comment.

As usual, I’ll be using a setup consisting of one of the best OLED TVs of 2025 the LG G5, along with the Panasonic DP-UB820 that we rate as the best 4K Blu-ray player on the market, plus Samsung HW-Q990C Dolby Atmos soundbar surround system.

As usual, I don’t review the movies themselves here, just the audio and video quality of the disc.

One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)

One Battle After Another tells the story of Bob (Leonardo DiCaprio), a washed-up revolutionary who lives off grid with his daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti). He must face his past when his nemesis Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn) resurfaces and his daughter goes missing.

Visually, One Battle After Another is a striking movie. Textures are crisp throughout, looking both 3D-like and true to life. There are plenty of high-contrast scenes that showcase rich black tones with punchy highlights, especially during night scenes where strong shadows are cast. Colors are natural, with the green grass of fields and the bright, blue sky all looking natural throughout the movie.

With a Dolby Atmos soundtrack, this disc sounds fantastic. Explosions and gunfire have plenty of impact and power, demonstrating well controlled bass tones. This balances nicely with the movie’s more intricate sound effects, such as the clicking of a gun’s chamber and lightly treading footsteps. There’s a good use of height channels too, as army helicopters fly overhead, creating an immersive atmosphere.

Becoming Led Zeppelin (Sony Pictures Classics)

Becoming Led Zeppelin is a documentary that explores the origins of the iconic rock band, from the members’ youth to the height of the band, including never-before-seen footage and modern-day interviews with the band.

Where else to start than with audio? There are two soundtrack options: DTS-HD 5.1 MA and DTS-HD 2.0 MA. Played through our soundbar, the 5.1 mix sounded fantastic. When Good Times, Bad Times kicks in, John Bonham’s thumping drums sound superb through the subwoofer: tightly controlled, detailed and meaty. Jimmy Page and John-Paul Jones’ guitars are refined, dynamic and intricate. Finally, Plant’s vocals are clear, punchy and as powerful as you could hope for.

Other highlights include Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You as the band recounts their first US tour in 1968, where Page’s delicate playing sounds crisp and clean and Plant’s haunting vocals are gorgeous and shortly after a live version of Communication Breakdown sounds raw, punchy and perfectly balanced, with every instrument given room to breathe.

Visually, the disc is 4K SDR. While there’s not a great deal to show off here, as most of the documentary is made up of old footage and talking-heads with the band, what is present is clean and shows great detail. Some of the footage has been upscaled nicely and some left intentionally grainy, but it’s still an excellent presentation overall.

This Is Spinal Tap (Sony Pictures)

This Is Spinal Tap is a mockumentary about the fictional rock band Spinal Tap on their 1982 US tour. The movie stars Christopher Guest as Nigel Tufnel, Michel McKean as David St Hubbins and Harry Shearer as Derek Smalls. Rob Reiner directs and stars as the filmmaker Marty Di Bergi.

The movie comes with two DTS-HD MA soundtracks 5.1 and 2.0. The 5.1 mix sounds superb, particularly during the live concert sequences. Guitars are crunchy and detailed, drums and bass are meaty and provide a nice workout for your subwoofer. The mix is extremely well balanced with a wide soundstage, giving each instrument ample room. Vocals are clean during live sections and speech is clear during dialogue scenes. The infamous ‘Stonehenge’ scene in particular sounds fantastic.

Visually, the movie supports Dolby Vision and looks very good. Colors have plenty of punch, from the band’s loud, bright costumes on stage to the more natural environments with bushes and trees, there’s a really nice balance of color. Dark tones are deep and rich and textures look lifelike. While it doesn’t have the level of upscaling I’ve seen in some movies, skin, hair and clothing have been sharpened up. Cinephiles will be happy with the level of film grain retained here and while some scenes have more grain than others, it suits the mockumentary style of the movie.

All The President’s Men (Warner Bros.)

All The President's Men follows the story of two reporters from The Washington Post, Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) and Bob Woodward (Robert Redford), who investigate the Watergate scandal. The movie is based on the non-fiction book of the same name.

All The President’s Men looks great in 4K. Watching in Dolby Vision, the picture is bright and detailed, with crisp textures throughout. Clothing and hair are refined and colors are bold and vibrant, shown on the brightly colored off chairs and desks in The Washington Post office. The green trees and grass surrounding the courthouse look natural and punchy. Night scenes showing deep blacks with strong contrast, shown as cars drive through the city. There’s plenty of grain retained which cinephiles will be happy with, but there’s some nice upscaling too.

The disc has a DTS-HD 2.0 soundtrack and throughout the movie, speech is clear with good detail. Subtle effects such as radios and voices on a telephone and the scratching of a reporter’s pencil have a good amount of detail. While there’s nothing to really show off your sound system like you’d get from an action-packed blockbuster, it’s a great overall soundtrack.

Over the past few years, I’ve often written about the state of 4K Blu-ray (and the state of physical media in general), and while sales numbers are often very doom and gloom, I’ve remained hopeful over its potential and popularity.

We’re big 4K Blu-ray fans here at TechRadar. Some of us (myself included) are collectors, and as TechRadar’s TV tester, they’re my primary source for testing the best TVs and best soundbars. In November 2024, I started the Blu-ray Bounty, a monthly column in which I review the best 4K Blu-rays each month, judging their picture and audio quality.

Since then, I’ve tested over 90 4K Blu-rays, and while most have proven to be real winners, some totally stood out from the pack. Some have even been good enough to become reference discs for when I’m testing TVs. So, as a celebration of Blu-ray's 20th anniversary(!), I've decided to whittle down those 90-plus titles to my all-time top 10.

Just to be clear: this isn’t an all-time best 4K Blu-ray article, just the best ones I’ve tested for Blu-ray Bounty. So, if your favorite is missing, don’t be surprised! The list is also in alphabetical order as I didn’t have the heart to rank them!

Alien: Romulus (20th Century Studios)

First on the list is Alien: Romulus. First featured in the December 2024 Blu-ray Bounty, Alien: Romulus delivers plenty of high-contrast scenes with powerful dynamic range, rich dark tones and punchy highlights. On the best OLED TVs, this disc looks staggeringly good, especially any exterior shots of space. There’s also plenty of awesome detail, with close-up shots of the character's faces showing every mark and facial feature with real clarity.

The disc’s Dolby Atmos soundtrack is also spine-chillingly realistic. The movie’s dramatic moments have plenty of impact, complete with hefty bass. The movement of face huggers is scarily well-mapped too. As they moved around the floor, their scuttling sounds had me looking nervously around our testing lab a few times when playing through our Samsung HW-Q990C Dolby Atmos soundbar. A perfect disc for a scary movie night with your home theater system.

Dark City (Arrow Video)

Dark City first featured in the July 2025 Blu-ray Bounty and has become an excellent reference disc for testing contrast. Inky blacks are featured throughout, and there are plenty of scenes with strong contrast as characters stand in front of desk lamps to cast detailed shadows, creating a nice noir vibe. Once again, the 4K remaster means people’s skin and object detail is refined, really showing off what 4K can do.

The disc features both Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD 5.1 MA soundtracks, and while this disc isn’t the audio showcase some of the other entrants on this list are, it’s still detailed and powerful, with a tense score and foreboding bass.

Double Indemnity (Criterion Collection)

Double Indemnity featured in the debut November 2024 Blu-ray Bounty, and it’s stuck with me ever since. It was my first experience of what 4K Blu-ray could do for an older, black-and-white movie. And it’s still one of the best examples of this that I’ve tested to this day. Contrast is fantastic, with a great range of black, white and gray tones, and textures have been restored to give them a true-to-life look that’s downright impressive — especially with Dolby Vision supported. While there may be some better restorations of black-and-white movies out there, this is a personal pick, as it really does showcase 4K’s capabilities.

Audibly, the movie only supports a monaural soundtrack, but again, it remains faithful to the original and still sounds great. Speech is clear throughout, and there’s a nice balance between the movie’s more dialogue-heavy and more action-packed scenes.

Fight Club (20th Century Studios)

Featured in the May 2026 Blu-ray Bounty, Fight Club finally came to 4K Blu-ray for the first time, and while there were some controversial changes made by director David Fincher, it’s still the best this movie has ever looked. Textures and detail have been refined beautifully, giving everything a fresh, crisp look. Contrast is striking, delivering deep blacks in the movie’s darker scenes, and whenever colors are featured they look punchy and accurate. Whenever there’s a close-up, it really shows off the disc’s clarity. This is another personal favorite, as I’ve waited a long time for this one to arrive — and it was worth the wait.

The disc features a DTS-HD 5.1 MA soundtrack, and while Dolby Atmos would have been nice, the 5.1 MA is still excellent. There are plenty of crushing, realistic impacts during fight scenes, with sometimes gruesome-sounding detail. But it’s the sense of direction and accuracy that really impresses — in the opening scene where the camera moves around the parking garage, the sound was mapped accurately to our testing soundbar.

Lawrence of Arabia (Sony Pictures Entertainment)

Lawrence of Arabia is another fantastic example of what 4K Blu-ray can do for classic movies. Featured in the February 2026 Blu-ray Bounty, Lawrence of Arabia is breathtaking on 4K Blu-ray. The level of detail and sheer scope of Freddie A. Young’s outstanding cinematography is truly brilliant, and balances some wonderful upscaling with plenty of film grain for purists. Detail is refined and textures are realistic, especially people’s skin and features in close-ups. Colors are also extremely rich, whether it’s the blue sky over the desert, the red sashes of the Arab fighters or the dazzling white of Lawrence’s robes. A truly magnificent disc.

For audio, both Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD 5.1 MA are featured. The Atmos soundtrack delivers plenty of scale and scope that perfectly suits Maurice Jarre’s grand score, as well as the movie’s action scenes. Explosions offer plenty of meaty bass, gunfights feel spacious and accurate, and speech comes through cleanly.

The Mask (Arrow Video)

While I anticipated that The Mask would be a good disc for its colors (more on that below), I was pleasantly surprised by how effective a disc it was for audio testing. Featured in the November 2025 Blu-ray Bounty, The Mask supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD 5.1 MA soundtracks. Using the Atmos soundtrack, this disc whips up an impressively accurate soundstage, capturing the cartoonish, chaotic nature of the titular character. As he tears around a room in a tornado, the Atmos soundtrack is perfectly placed, with plenty of superb detail.

Visually, The Mask is at its best when The Mask himself is on screen. His gaudy yellow suit takes on an almost neon-like effect that really pops on screen, and works well if you’ve got a display that’s all about color. Elsewhere, textures have been upscaled nicely, giving skin, hair and even clothing a realistic look. There are even a few darker scenes at the Coco Bongo club that can really show off contrast.

Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Sinners first featured in the July 2025 Blu-ray Bounty, and while it’s a good-looking 4K disc, it features here for its audio — and for one scene in particular. During a time-bending musical sequence in a barn, the mix demonstrates pinpoint accuracy in capturing the hip-hop beats blending with blues music as the camera moves around the room. Any scenes involving blues tracks sound excellent, but really, it’s the barn scene that serves as an audio showcase. Elsewhere, action scenes have plenty of nice detail.

Sinners looks brilliant on 4K, accurately conveying the bright summer of Mississippi during its daytime scenes, and balancing these nicely with the rich contrast of its night scenes. Again, detail is really strong here, with textures in the 1930s clothing looking refined and lifelike, and with Dolby Vision supports, colors are deep and vibrant throughout.

The Sound of Music (Disney)

Featured in the October 2025 Blu-ray Bounty, The Sound of Music looks stunning in 4K. Where it really shines is in its color reproduction. The market scene in particular delivers bold oranges, reds and yellows from the fruits and vegetables on display that really pop on the right TV. The greenery of the surrounding hills looks lush too. Upscaling is also fantastic, and textures have been cleaned up nicely, giving everything a 3D-like appearance, especially people.

Equipped with a Dolby Atmos soundtrack, The Sound of Music sounds great too. Julie Andrew’s iconic vocals are detailed and powerful throughout, and there’s a wonderful balance between the musical score and the vocals. This is the best way to hear legendary tracks like Do Re Mi at home. This one really does tick all the boxes, both audibly and visually.

Wicked (Universal Pictures)

Wicked’s picture impressed me so much when I first tested it as part of the March 2025 Blu-ray Bounty that it’s become a reference disc I use for testing TVs. It delivers bold, vibrant colors throughout that have plenty of dazzle. Whether it’s the pink of flowers in trees or Glinda’s wardrobe, the green of trees and Elphaba’s skin, or even the white of a clifftop in the ‘Wizard & I’ scene, colors strike the balance between vivid and lifelike expertly. Details are crisp and intricate in every facet, from people’s clothing to the environments of Oz. There are even some high-contrast scenes that look great too. This really is one of my go-to testing discs.

Unsurprisingly, a Dolby Atmos musical sounds truly fantastic as well. The vocals and score balance well with one another, and come through with excellent clarity. There are some real showcase scenes for Atmos, notably the ‘Defying Gravity’ scene. Cynthia Erivo’s vocals are powerful and expertly rendered, even through the fast-paced movement as Elphaba whips around the skies on her broom — and with the right system the effect is truly immersive.

The Wild Robot

The final entry on this list is The Wild Robot, which first featured in the January 2025 Blu-ray Bounty. It’s a gorgeous animation that has fantastic detail, along with phenomenal colors that look both vibrant and natural. The environments have a painted effect that looks lifelike, and this blends really well with the crisp animation of the creatures of the forest and Roz. Both bright and dark scenes look brilliant too, looking both suitably punchy and rich respectively. This is another disc that has entered my testing rotation.

The disc’s Dolby Atmos soundtrack is great for accurately delivering the sounds of nature. Snapping twigs, calling animals and weather effects all combine to create a rich soundscape. Atmos is well utilized too, with birds flying overhead and heavy rain creating an immersive listening experience. There’s also some seriously hefty bass on display during a thunderstorm at the start of the movie.

What are some of your favorite 4K Blu-rays? Let us know in the comments!

Physical home media has gone through a turbulent time the last few years. With the rise of streaming services, demand for physical media over the past few years has steadily declined, with people choosing the convenience of streaming over physical discs.

There's still a dedicated fanbase of physical media collectors, though, and more recently streaming price rises and splintering means people have more interest just owning the stuff they want to watch. I’ve been writing about my hope for the resurgence of 4K Blu-ray, and physical media in general, since 2023. Now in 2026, I’m actually more hopeful than ever. It couldn’t come at a better time either, with the 20th anniversary of Blu-ray’s debut on June 20th, 2026.

I recently spoke to Kath Summersgill, Joint Group Head of Sales at Key Production Group, an agency specializing primarily in physical music and packaging manufacturing with vinyl, cassette and CD. However, the group also works with Blu-ray, both video and audio varieties, and DVD. We discussed the state of Blu-ray production, and physical media in general, and she had some encouraging things to say.

Promising numbers

“We’ve seen an increase in Blu-ray sales of over 10,000%, particularly in Blu-ray Audio” Kath tells me. “That’s over the span of the past eight to 10 years.” For a format that’s been on the decline, that’s an incredibly encouraging number.

Kath then mentions the ERA (Entertainment Retailer’s Association) report from December 2025, which reveals sales revenue for Music, Video and Gaming sales. “Although there was an overall decrease in the physical video format, Blu-ray actually increased by 3%”. While that may not sound like a lot, it’s a positive after some particularly bad numbers.

If you read more into the 2025 ERA report, 4K Blu-ray sales increased 19.5%, which is an extremely encouraging number. The strongest selling disc of the year was Wicked, a disc I regularly use for testing AV equipment and one of the main highlights of our Blu-ray Bounty feature (more on that later).

So, why have 4K Blu-ray sales turned around? For that answer, we’ll have to look to streaming services.

You can't rely on streaming

One of the most frustrating things people have with streaming services is the availability of movies. At one time or another, most people will have experienced a movie leaving a streaming service, only for it to either go to a rival service (that typically you won’t subscribe to) or for it just to disappear.

I’ve even seen horror stories of people buying movies on a streaming service that then also disappear. A Reddit thread in the r/AmazonPrime subreddit is a great example of this, where user u/Electrical_Paper6286 has had it happen “4 times between 2 movies”. Although the movies eventually returned, it’s a sign of how tentative the ‘ownership’ of movies on streaming platforms can be.

It’s one of the key issues affecting people’s trust in streaming services and something that’s driving people to physical media. Kath relates it to vinyl. “We know that vinyl is never ever going to replace streaming, but it exists very happily alongside it. I think that Blu-ray is the same, it offers different things that streaming doesn't. It's very much something that you can have and hold and you can keep and you can play over and over again.”

Kath also points out another issue with online-based movie and music streaming. “[With physical] you're not at the whim of your internet connection speed, or whether or not certain libraries drop certain titles, licence changes”.

This is another frustration. Numerous times I’ve gone to watch a movie on streaming and due to connection issues , it’s either streamed in reduced quality, buffered or just not streamed at all. This isn’t a problem with physical media.

A passionate fanbase

As I mentioned above, I’m a budding collector of 4K Blu-ray. While I don’t have fully stacked shelves (yet), I do have a collector’s edition or two and more than a few steelbooks.

In FilmStories’ article about the ERA 2025 report, they mention that steelbooks and special editions helped the growth in 4K Blu-ray in the UK, with every one in 10 4K Blu-rays released having some sort of steelbook or special edition, and due to their higher prices, they made up £2 of every £10 spent on 4K Blu-ray in 2025.

I tell Kath I’m a sucker for nice packaging and she agrees and she relates it to a recent vinyl release that Key Production Group handled. “We find people are doing this. We did a vinyl release recently with 72 variants and even though the packaging was the same, the color of the vinyl was different.”

(I’m also a sucker for colored vinyl, with a rust-effect Jack White/Dead Weather release from a Third Man Records Vault collection being a particular highlight in my stack.)

While special editions are great, it’s also the work of independent distributors and manufacturers, delivering more excellent 4K restorations than ever, that gets more people to invest in 4K Blu-ray.

The Criterion Collection and Arrow Video are two of the big names, but other organizations such as Kino Lorber, Shout Factory, Boutique Home Video and the BFI are crucial. These companies are producing more sought-after titles and giving them excellent restorations that mean people want to own them in the best possible quality.

In November 2024, I started the Blu-ray Bounty. This is an ongoing monthly column where I test the latest 4K Blu-rays from each month — and since its debut, the column has been growing.

We’re covering more discs than ever, covering a wider range of genres, and I have a feeling it’s only going to get bigger. I’ve produced tons of lists of excellent 4K titles that are perfect for showing off home theater systems, such as this 6 action movies list and 6 classic movies that show what 4K can do. and a good chunk of my reference discs for AV testing came from the Blu-ray Bounty.

I’m also an active user of the r/4kbluray subreddit and this is again one of the most passionate subreddits I’ve come across. Users update each other on releases, give their thoughts and reviews on the latest titles and always showing off their collections in the best possible way.

While it may well have been doom-and-gloom for 4K and Blu-ray in the last couple of years, I for one am hopeful for its future. What better way to celebrate Blu-ray’s 20th anniversary than with some good news.

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• The first HDMI 2.2 products are likely to arrive in 2027
• Massively increased bitrates with 4K 480Hz support, or 10K resolution
• Great for PC gaming, but won't make much difference to TV viewers

HDMI 2.2 is coming, and it could be a very big deal for gamers. That's because it delivers double the bandwidth of HDMI 2.1: up to 96Gbps.

That means HDMI 2.2 is capable of delivering uncompressed 4K at up to 240Hz (current HDMI can only do this using Display Stream Compression, aka DSC) or uncompressed 4K at 480Hz with 4:2:0 chroma subsampling, and it can also deliver uncompressed RGB 8K at 60Hz. And using DSC, it's capable of delivering 1440p at rates exceeding 1,000Hz.

There is an important qualifier, though: devices can be HDMI 2.2 certified without delivering the very fastest data speeds, so you'll need to study the spec sheets of any potential purchases.

As FlatpanelsHD reports, the HDMI organization expects the first HDMI 2.2 devices to go on sale in 2027; testing and certification are already taking place.

According to Rob Tobias, CEO and president of the HDMI Licensing Administrator, "We're hearing chip manufacturers will start to sample their FRL2 [Fixed Rate Link, the signalling technology used by HDMI] chips this year. And so we should start to see some 96 or up to 96 gigabit HDMI 2.2 products next year."

Will HDMI 2.2 be a big deal?

The specifications are impressive, though it'll be available in three flavors, all of which are faster than HDMI 2.1: 64Gbps, 80Gbps and 96Gbps.

The performance for gaming is particularly impressive, but we already have DisplayPort 2.1 at up to 80Gbps in many of the best gaming monitors so there isn't a hugely pressing need to upgrade. And HDMI requires licensing fees that are likely to be higher than for DisplayPort.

Chances are if you're into high-end gaming hardware you've already gone down the DisplayPort route, especially if you have a multi-monitor setup, but HDMI 2.2 should mean more choice among premium displays.

HDMI has more benefits in living rooms, thanks to features such as ARC (Audio Return Channel), CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) and ALLM (Auto Low-Latency Mode), so it's conceivable that the PlayStation 6 could embrace the higher bitrates of HDMI 2.2 — although games only rarely achieve the 4K 120Hz that's already achievable over HDMI 2.1, and we're not sure that's going to really change with the PS6.

But some 4K 240Hz games might be possible, and the best gaming TVs might offer the refresh rate to support it, so there may be some benefit for the most hardcore. For most living room uses, though, HDMI 2.1 is probably overkill — it's really best for PC connectivity when it comes to the pure data rate.

However, there's another benefit to HDMI 2.2: LIP, which stands for Latency Indication Protocol. LIP improves sound syncing on home theater setups, such as soundbars or AV receivers — this can be a pretty common problem with even the best soundbars, so we'll be keeping an eye on how well this works.

For most of us, I think HDMI 2.2 is generally something to keep an eye on rather than something to demand as soon as it debuts. HDMI 2.2 has been made with 10K resolution in mind, but the vast majority of commercial and streaming video tops out at 4K.

It's something to think about when buying new AV hardware in the future (there's good chance we'll need to wait for 2028's CES for widespread adoption in TVs), but initially at least, it'll be more about marketing than real-world benefits for most of us.

And bear in mind that HDMI adoption is really driven by the companies that provide the connection hardware.

Even today, not all high-end TVs have four HDMI 2.1 ports, because the most powerful processing chips used by many manufacturers don't support this. Some lower-tier TVs from the same makers do, because those chips have more up-to-date HDMI control elements — it's a bit of a mess. I suspect HDMI 2.2 will have the same kind of slightly chaotic support.

On PCs, we'll be relying on GPUs to support the tech, and new models aren't expected until late 2027 or after that — so there's a good chance of seeing HDMI 2.2 on them. But like HDMI 2.1, it'll probably launch on the highest-end models first.

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I recently visited the Japanese factory where Denon and Marantz make the hi-fi and home theater gear, and the best part of the seeing the facility was getting a demo of the reference home theater listening there, with its 9.4.6 channels of Dolby Atmos sound delivered via $250k of Bowers & Wilkins speaker.

While snooping around the room, the shelving in the corner that houses their disc library naturally caught my eye. Marantz's engineers had already told me that they consider Gravity to be one of the ultimate stress tests for AVRs (you can read why in the piece I linked above), but what else do they keep on hand for testing AV receivers and other gear?

I wanted to make a list to share with the many 4K Blu-ray and home theater enthusiasts out there, looking for fresh demo disc ideas — but given that we had limited time in the room and a major portion of the movies are in Japanese, I took a few photos of the shelves, and came back home to analyze them.

The list is below, and it's in two sections: movies, and concert discs. I excluded anything that isn't a Blu-ray or 4K Blu-ray — the shelves were obviously also full of CDs and SACDs (and a few DVDs).

It's not an exhaustive list: I used Google Gemini to help me translate Japanese titles that I couldn't discern myself anyway (I did not need help identifying which disc was Mad Max: Fury Road, naturally), and sometimes its translations were either vague or otherwise uncertain, so I didn't include those titles unless I could verify them another way. And also, I probably missed some because this whole exercise made me go a little stir-crazy.

So if you want to see the shelves and comb through yourself, here they are — but my written-out list is just below.

The list is inevitable in places — Blade Runner 2049 and 1917 are obvious inclusions, and two versions of Interstellar is the normal number of versions of Interstellar to own, in my opinion — but it was also really interesting and surprising in places.

I loved seeing Bridge of Spies in there; I didn't expect Hairspray (2007), but it makes a ton of sense; I'm very curious what makes Taxi 3 specifically a good disc to have; it absolutely rocks that they have RRR, and I can't recommend it enough for your own library; and in contrast to Interstellar, I really don't think anyone needs two copies of Pixels…

The music side includes a fun mix of jazz sets, classical music, movie music and huge stadium events — and with a very healthy dose of metal.

Movies

• 1917
• 2001: A Space Odyssey
• 28 Years Later
• 9 (Nine)
• A Clockwork Orange
• A Complete Unknown
• A Star is Born (2018)
• Akira
• Alien Romulus
• American Made
• American Sniper
• Apocalypse Now
• Apollo 13
• Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
• Argo
• Avatar
• Back to the Future Trilogy
• Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
• Battleship
• Birdman
• Black Rain
• Blade Runner
• Blade Runner 2049
• Blue Giant
• Bohemian Rhapsody
• Breakfast at Tiffany's
• Bridge of Spies
• Burlesque
• Casino Royale
• Chicago
• Civil War
• Crimson Peak
• Deadpool & Wolverine
• Donnie Brasco
• Dr Strange and the Multiverse of Madness
• Dune (2021)
• Dune: Part Two
• E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
• Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
• Ford v Ferrari
• Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
• Get On Up
• Ghost in the Shell
• Ghostbusters (2016)
• Gladiator II
• Godzilla vs. Kong
• Gran Turismo
• Gravity
• Green Book
• Hairspray (2007)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I
• Hidden Figures
• The Huntsman: Winter's War
• I, Frankenstein
• Inception
• Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures [Doesn't include Dial of Destiny]
• Inside Llewyn Davis
• Interstellar
• It: Chapter One
• Jack Reacher: Never Go Back
• Jason Bourne
• John Wick
• Joker: Folie á Deux
• Jumanji: The Next Level
• Lucy
• Mad Max: Fury Road
• Man of Steel
• Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
• Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning
• Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
• Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
• Mission: Impossible – III
• Moana 2
• No Country for Old Men
• No Time to Die
• Nope
• Oblivion
• Oppenheimer
• Pacific Rim
• Pacific Rim: Uprising
• Paris, Texas
• Pixels
• Pokémon: The Movie
• Quantum of Solace
• Red Tails
• Rocketman
• Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
• RRR
• Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends
• Seven (Se7en)
• Sherlock Holmes
• Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
• Sinners
• Sisu
• Skyfall
• Solo: A Star Wars Story
• Spectre
• Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
• Spider-Man: Far From Home
• Spider-Man: Homecoming
• Star Trek Beyond
• Star Trek Into Darkness
• Star Wars: The Force Awakens
• Superman (2025)
• The Legend of Tarzan
• Taxi 3
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
• Tenet
• The Batman (2022)
• The Cell
• The Creator
• The Expendables 3
• The First Slam Dunk
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
• The Greatest Showman
• The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
• The Phantom of the Opera
• The Shallows
• The Sky Crawlers
• The Super Mario Bros. Movie
• Top Gun
• Top Gun: Maverick
• Transcendence
• Transformers: Age of Extinction
• Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
• Twisters
• Unbroken
• Venom: The Last Dance
• West Side Story (2021)
• Wonder Woman
• X-Men: First Class
• Yowamushi Pedal

Music and concerts

• Adele: Live at the Royal Albert Hall
• Ado Special Live
• Babymetal: Live at Tokyo Dome
• Beethoven Symphonies Nos. 5 & 7: Wiener Philharmoniker
• Berliner Philhamoniker: The Asia Tour
• Billy Joel Live at Shea Statdium
• Black Sabbath: The End
• Bob James Trio: Feel Like Making Live
• Bob Marley and the Walers Legend
• Bon Jovi Live at Madison Square Garden
• Chihiro Yamanaka: Somethin' Blue Quintet – Live at Blue Note Tokyo
• Chris Botti: Live in Boston
• David Gilmour: Live at Pompeii
• George Mccrae - Love
• Hans Zimmer: Live in Prague
• Harvie S Trio: Too Late Now
• Hit Man David Foster & Friends
• Joe Bonasmassa Live at the Greek Theatre
• John Mayer: Any Given Thursday
• John Mayer: Where the Light Is
• John Williams in Tokyo
• KISS Rocks Vegas
• Lady Gaga Presents The Monster Ball Tour
• Led Zeppelin: The Song Remains the Same
• Megadeth: Countdown to Extinction
• Metallica: Quebec Magnetic
• Michael Jackson: This Is It
• Misia: Soul Quest World Tour
• MR. BIG – The Big Finish Live
• MTV Unplugged ayaka
• Norah Jones: Live at Ronnie Scott's
• Pat Metheny Group: The Way Up - Live
• Pat Metheny: The Orchestrion Project
• Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii
• Prince Sign o' the Times
• Queen: Rock Montreal & Live Aid
• Quincy Jones: The 75th Birthday Celebration
• Roger Waters: The Wall
• Rolling Stones: Shine a Light
• Scorpions: Live in 3D
• Shogo Hamada: On The Road 2015-2016
• Steve Vai: Live at the Astoria
• Sting: Live at the Olympia Paris
• Take Me to the River
• The Beatles: 1
• The Beatles: Get Back
• The Great Jazz Trio Hank Jones – The Legend of Jazz: Live at Blue Note Tokyo
• The Last Waltz
• The Rolling Stones: Hyde Park Live 1969
• Tony Bennett: An American Classic
• Toto: Live in Poland
• Vienna Philharmonic: New Year's Concerts – 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021

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For the launch of Denon's new X3900H and X2900H AV receivers, I visited the company's headquarters in Japan to give the new models a try in the custom listening room developed for the company's Sound Masters to tune products to perfection — but I also visited Denon and Marantz's combined factory, where the two companies produce their hi-fi and AVR components.

This is in the city of Shirakawa, about an hour's ride on the Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo, where the cherry blossoms still lingered even though Tokyo's parks had largely lost their annual spring decoration.

Seeing the production lines and testing for the various hi-fi models was interesting, but I've visited lots of AV manufacturing facilities in my time, and once you've seen four, you've largely seen them all.

But our tour included an extended session in the factory's home theater listening room, which is one of the most impressive setups I've experienced. The room was first established in 1983, so that the first Marantz AV receiver could be developed and tested in it before its launch in 1985.

There are subtle signs of the room's age — the vault-like door has a distinctly '70s infrastructure look and feel to it — but the Denon receiver at the center of our demo today is unquestionably modern.

The AVC A1H is the company's first model that can handle 9.4.6 speaker channels, with support for basically any spatial audio system you'd care to throw at it.

And 9.4.6 channels is exactly what the room's speaker system offers, in the imposing form of eight Bowers & Wilkins 801 D4 speakers with an HTM81 D4 center, plus four ASW Series subwoofers tucked away at the edges — and six speakers mounted in the ceiling. That's about $250k of speakers.

These were paired with a Sony VPL-VW535 4K projector for the visuals, powered by an Oppo UDP-205 4K Blu-ray player. Alas, it's a reminder that this model has arguably never been bettered despite being discontinued the better part of a decade ago.

I slid into the sweet spot seats in the middle, which Denon and Marantz engineers said is 12 feet from the center channel, and 10 feet from the two rears — not quite following the equilateral distance guidelines laid out by Dolby for Atmos, but I'm not going to quibble with the people who design the actual setup.

The first demo scene was A Star is Born (2018), when Ally comes out to play on stage at Jackson's concert for the first time. The first thing that struck me was the complete disconnection of the sound from the equipment, in the best way.

The sound is so expansive and expressive that it feels like there's no channel system at all — the platonic ideal of Dolby Atmos' spatial audio.

The sound is so amazingly cohesive from top to bottom, and always has a new gear to find when it needs to step up the resonant bass of an acoustic instrument, or when Gaga’s voice is given extra elevation out of the mix by the soundtrack, or to highlight each guitar string suddenly twanging — and whenever it needs to the extra step, it always feels like a seamless flow.

The system feels like it just has endless power, and yet it feels like it's not exerting itself hard at all — there's no sense of the forceful and forward sound that you're likely to get from soundbars or compact options. It's just naturally explosive.

Next up was the opening scene of Unbroken, which puts you in the middle of an aerial battle in World War II — in particular, locking you in and around the experience of one bomber.

There's excellent specificity in the position and scale of effects, such as propellers vibrating the air, or whirring gunner seats and small rattling brackets and fixtures. But these don't sound like they’re being especially highlighted and punched up; they’re just naturally specific in the mix.

Anti-aircraft fire and explosions are grippingly dynamic, popping out of nowhere and rattling the soundscape forward to back as the cockpit is peppered with shrapnel — it's not one crackly effect, but a clear wave of super-fast movement in 3D.

Machine guns fire audibly just above the screen, and cartridges rattle in a clear downward motion as they fall into our 'seating' area — you're able to understand more about the structure of the vehicle from the sound design, when everything is this precise.

Next on the list is Gravity, which the Denon and Marantz team described as their choice of movie for an “AVR stress test” — the scene where Ryan Stone re-enters the atmosphere really slams all channels at once, including bass, continuously for several minutes — they said it's basically the hardest-to-drive movie scene.

With that in mind, what jumped out to me is how, despite the cacophonous rumbling and rattling filling the space around me, I could also hear that the system was really delicately handling the singing in the score. It's soft and refined, and also brutal and bruising, all in the same moment.

The positional effects in this scene absolutely whip around you, alarms pierce with their own individual level of urgency, and exploding debris is somehow chaotically noisy and yet also moves precisely in the sound field.

It’s audio havoc, but it never clips or crushes the disparate elements, so you’re completely trapped in the tensest part of the movie while it happens — this is unimpeachable immersion.

To give us a gentle recovery, we finish up with A Complete Unknown. When Dylan and Joan Baez play their privately contentious set together at the folk festival, there's such a lovely recreation of the ambient sound, ironically perfectly recreating the audio signature of an imprecise speaker system.

The song showcases lovely, sharp guitar string plucks and total rhythmic control in the gentle track. The system can explode the crowd noise in the back, while maintaining the same gentle and faintly distorted vocals at the front, all in careful balance, without the denser sound overpowering anything more delicate.

My demo run in this listening room was the kind of experience that spoils you for lesser home theater setups, though I'll be saved from myself by not having the disposable income to spend a quarter of a million on speakers, before I even get to the supporting equipment — let alone building a suitably impressive room to house it all in.

But if you should find yourself coming into a large inheritance and you love movies, I can think of far worse ways to spend it.

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I recently visited the High End Show in Vienna, where the world's top audio companies show off their latest and greatest creations. The show mostly focuses on ready-to-sell products — of the kind that we chose in our Best in Show at High End Vienna 2026 Awards — but it's also where interesting new audio components makers show off what they're making to other companies, to use in their creations.

One of these companies at the 2026 show was GSS, showing off a new bass driver called the Model S1. It's a very slim transducer, just 62.5mm tall and 299mm wide, and is capable of operating in a box with a volume of just 1.75 liters.

This means that you can put two of them, in a force-cancelling configuration, in a sealed box that's around 65mm tall, 310mm wide and 200mm deep — and that's exactly what I got to hear at the show.

I'll go into the experience in a moment, but the short version is that this small box sounds like a subwoofer that's much larger — GSS Audio says that specifically its system is capable of delivering the bass of something six times the size.

There's no exact way to say what this should be the equivalent of, because of variations in driver design, but the easy way to think of it is this: it's an 8-inch or 10-inch subwoofer squeezed into a box the size of a chunky hardback book.

The magic trick here is the level of excursion (i.e, how how far forwards and backwards the diaphragm can move). In this transducer, it's capable of moving 17mm in each direction, for a total movement of 34mm — that's how it can displace so much air to match larger drivers.

The diaphragm is very elaborate in order to make this possible — it's full of ridges and spirals. We've seen this on a lot of smarter woofer drivers; it's basically a way of managing the amount of surface area of the transducer, so that it can extend as far as it does, but delivers consistent performance across the full movement range.

GSS Audio also says it's put some special sauce into the configuration of the magnets, as well as the spider (the suspension system that holds the magnet in place, even as it moves).

Enough preamble — let's talk about the experience of listening to it. GSS had two of its little boxes (each with dual drivers) set up, each of which was connected to a two-way Neumann studio monitor speaker, so a stereo configuration with a double dose of bass.

The boxes deliver absolutely thumping bass that's capable of punching you in the torso as great low-end should (if you want it to), but it's also super-controlled — powerful but tight as a drum (or a drum machine, as the case may be if you making the most of this for music).

What really jumped out to me (as much as something you feel inside your bones can jump out at you) was the deep sub-bass. It's not pushing down to deeper frequency artificially and setting your teeth on edge as a result; I threw on Sugar Kingdom by Nikki Nair, which is a song that bad woofer can really screw up, but I could've just lived in the sub-bass here, bobbing and bouncing along.

Something to note is that this was borderline a near-field listening environment — I wasn't quite at desktop distance from the Neumann speakers, but I was closer than a standard listening or home theater room, and the bass boxed performed great for this kind of setup, which is now how I'd think of using a larger sub.

Of course, while GSS demo'd it with music and stereo speakers, the company really seems to expect its biggest use to come in speakers where bass is wanted by space is at a premium.

At its booth, it had prototypes of a soundbar with two of the Model 1 drivers in, and a wall-mounted speaker with four(!) of them in — the latter is a fascinating idea for a home theater setup, where your surround speakers would also act as a diffused subwoofer system, saving you a load of space and wiring.

I didn't get to hear these in action, and I don't know when we can expect actual products to appear, but GSS did say it had some partners planning to use its products (but obviously it wouldn't may about who that might be).

I can't wait to see a real product with this tech built-in though — I think it could be a total gamechanger for big bass in a small space.

The GSS Model is the latest in a line of impressive compact subwoofer tech we've seen over the last few years — it's an impressive area of innovation. A little while back, we were blown away by the bass of the Brane X wireless speaker, and its compact true subwoofer that uses a smart magnet system to overcome the air compression problem most small sub designs have.

And there's the Sonos Sound Motion tech, which is used in the Sonos Arc Ultra. Sound Motion mean Sonos could replace an array of dedicated woofers with a single driver that operates in two directions at once, so it actually functions as its own force-opposed system. You can read my interview with Sonos about the development of Sound Motion here.

• Multiple Sony devices will lose access to streaming services and Google Cast
• AV receivers, Blu-ray players, soundbars, wireless speakers and more
• Effective November 17, 2026

Something we've learnt the hard way over the years is that pretty much any product with an online component will lose it eventually. Server shutdowns have affected everything from multiplayer games to the ill-fated PlaysForSure music platform, and now it's coming to Sony products.

Like Bose earlier this year, Sony is shutting down servers for some of its audiovisual products. But unlike Bose, which went to great pains to enable people to maintain as much functionality as possible, Sony's devices will lose many core features as a result.

The changes aren't immediate — they won't come into place until November 7th, 2026 — but they apply to a lot of models including AV receivers, Blu-ray disc players, speakers and soundbars. The full list of affected devices is available on Sony's website, but we've included it at the end of this article too.

What Bose did, and what Sony isn't doing

Earlier this year Bose discontinued online support for its SoundTouch speakers first introduced in 2013. However, the speakers themselves remained fully functional and while Bose's own SoundTouch streaming was switched off, AirPlay and Spotify Connect would continue to work.

Sony's changes are more severe. From November, the following services will be unavailable on affected devices:

• Amazon Prime Video
• Google Cast
• Netflix
• Pandora
• Slacker Radio
• Spotify
• Vudu

As Sony explains, from November "access to supported network services will no longer be available on affected models [and] any downloaded network services may no longer be accessible on affected models… we apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding."

While most of the affected models are elderly, there's a lot of them: nine soundbars, 16 AVRs, 17 Blu-Ray players, multiple Blu-Ray home theater systems and five sets of wireless speakers. That means the service shutdown is likely to affect quite a lot of people.

Which Sony products are affected by the 2026 shutdown?

Audio and Micro Component Systems

• CMT-MX700NI
• HAP-S1
• HAP-Z1ES
• MAP-S1
• NAC-SV10

AV Receivers

• STR-DA1800
• STR-DA2800ES
• STR-DA3700ES
• STR-DA5700ES
• STR-DA5800ES
• STR-DN1020
• STR-DN1030
• STR-DN1040
• STR-DN1050
• STR-DN1060
• STR-DN1070
• STR-DN1080
• STR-DN840
• STR-DN850
• STR-DN860
• STR-ZA810ES

Blu-ray Disc Players

• BDP-BX18
• BDP-BX37
• BDP-BX38
• BDP-BX57
• BDP-N460
• BDP-S185
• BDP-S270
• BDP-S280
• BDP-S370
• BDP-S380
• BDP-S390
• BDP-S470
• BDP-S480
• BDP-S570
• BDP-S580
• BDP-S770
• BDP-S780

Blu-ray Disc Home Theater Systems

• BDV-E280
• BDV-E370
• BDV-E470
• BDV-E570
• BDV-E580
• BDV-E770W
• BDV-E780W
• BDV-E870
• BDV-E880
• BDV-F7
• BDV-HZ970
• BDV-IZ1000W
• BDV-L600
• BDV-T28
• BDV-T57
• BDV-T58

Media Players

• FMP-X10
• SMP-N100
• SMP-N200

Soundbars

• HT-CT790
• HT-CT800
• HT-NT3
• HT-NT5
• HT-RT5
• HT-ST5000
• HT-ST9
• HT-XT2
• HT-XT3

Wireless speakers

• SA-NS310
• SA-NS410
• SA-NS500
• SA-NS510
• SRS-X7

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• YouTuber PlasmatronX creates a testing rig to visually map how spatial audio waves travel
• It requires a lot of custom design, including building his own multi-channel amp
• You can download the 3D printing files and code to make your own testing rig

Have you ever wished you could see the sound waves in your room? It turns out all you need is a guinea pig and a CAT: Computer Acoustic Tomography.

In a fascinating and fun video that enraptured the whole TechRadar AV team and is well worth 11 minutes of your time, YouTuber PlasmatronX creates a testing rig that enables him to visualize how the sound waves move around the room.

That visualization can then be used to compare how different sonic setups perform, such as the difference between a soundbar and a full surround speaker setup.

Put a guinea pig in a testing rig

PlasmatronX clearly doesn't take things too seriously. His experiment makes use of multiple soft toys, including a toy guinea pig to sit within the sound saves because its close enough to being a 4:1 scale of his own head, and at one point he suggests that his experiments with beam steering – using imperceptible delays to make sound appear as if it's coming from somewhere else – would have been more successful if he'd been firing beams out of his own rear end.

The guinea pig is centered in a multi-speaker setup that can replicate a perfectly positioned pair of stereo speakers, a soundbar, and a full 7.1 surround sound setup. You can easily see where the "sweet spot" appears in each setup, and how soundbars can make sound appear to be coming from speakers that aren't there.

The key takeaway here is that your room is one of the most important factors in the sound you hear: the combination of audio reflections from walls and ceilings, and sound wave absorption by soft furnishings such as your couch or curtains, will have a significant effect on what you hear.

That's particularly important if you've got a soundbar that uses acoustic trickery to create virtual speakers, beaming audio that's intended to bounce off the walls and ceiling of your room. The cosier your front room the more audio, it's likely to absorb.

This isn't revealing a big secret by any means — it's why many of the best soundbars have room calibration — but it's still fascinating, and the video's often very funny, especially when PlasmatronX is experimenting with building his own amp, and building soundbar waveguides with varying degrees of success.

If you fancy repeating the experiment with a guinea pig of your own, PlasmatronX has provided all the necessary code, 3D printing files and schematics for you to download right here.

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June 2026 looks to be another great month for 4K Blu-rays and as one of TechRadar’s resident 4K Blu-ray testers, I’ve picked the four discs I’m most looking forward to reviewing for Blu-ray Bounty.

Blu-ray Bounty is our monthly column where we review the latest 4K releases from each month to see how their picture and audio will show off your home theater system. In our most recent May 2026 edition, we covered five new discs including the hotly anticipated Fight Club 4K release.

Why do we love 4K Blu-ray at TechRadar? Mainly because it’s our main source for testing the best TVs and the best soundbars. It has a higher bitrate meaning a better-looking picture and uncompressed soundtracks, perfect for testing audio.

In last month’s most anticipated 4K discs list, I picked Fight Club, “Wuthering Heights”, Leaving Las Vegas and Some Like It Hot. I got to test all four as part of the Blu-ray Bounty and they all looked great. Below are my picks for the month of June.

As I’m based in the UK, these are based on UK release dates so don’t be surprised if one of them is already available in your region, or doesn’t have a confirmed release date yet.

Speed Racer (Warner Bros)

Based on the popular Manga series, Speed Racer, directed by The Wachowskis (Lana and Lilly, best known for The Matrix) follows the story of Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch), an aspiring racing driver who's trying to become a champion to save his family business.

Speed Racer is a visual feast for the eyes and features tons of bold, vibrant colors throughout. With Dolby Vision HDR supported, the neon-like colors should really pop on screen and with a good 4K restoration, details should look extra crisp, adding even more depth to the movie’s picture.

There’s also plenty of fast-paced action to push a display’s motion-handling skills to the test. If this disc looks as good as the Reddit hype suggests it could be, this reference-quality disc could be a new addition to my testing rotation.

Movies about racing typically make for excellent audio testing discs, especially when they support Dolby Atmos (F1 for example). I’m hoping Speed Racer will fit into this group, as it features plenty of dynamic racing scenes that should be immersive thanks to its supported Dolby Atmos soundtrack. I’m expecting screeching tires, plenty of movement to test precision and detail and some nice bass response from the subwoofer.

Release date

• US: May 19, 2026
• UK: 15th June, 2026

EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert (Universal Pictures)

From director Baz Luhrmann (Romeo + Juliet, Elvis, Moulin Rouge), EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert is a documentary about Elvis Presley. It features archival footage, including past conversations and interviews with Presley, and tons of live performances from the early 1970s.

Where else to go with this one but audio? Elvis has so many iconic hits and is arguably one of music’s best live performers, so iconic tracks from this time period like ‘Suspicious Minds’, ‘Always On My Mind‘ and ‘Burning Love’ (all featured on the movie soundtrack) are sure to sound sensational through a fully-fledged surround sound system.

Interestingly, there’s no Dolby Atmos soundtrack featured, so we won’t be getting the full 3D sound. There is, however, a DTS-HD 5.1 MA soundtrack included, which should sound fantastic and has often featured on some of the best-sounding movies I’ve tested.

Picture-wise, the footage used in the documentary (consisting of unused footage from two concert movies Elvis: That’s The Way It Is (1970) and Elvis: Live On Tour (1972) was shot in 35mm and 8mm film, so expect the 35mm shots to look superb in 4K. There's also support for Dolby Vision and as Elvis’ shows were known for their glitz and glamour, there could be some really nice looking shots featured, with plenty of vivid colors.

Release dates

• US: August 11, 2026
• UK: 15th June, 2026

Bullet In The Head (Arrow Video)

From legendary director John Woo (The Killer, Hard Boiled), Bullet In The Head tells the story of three friends Ben (Tony Leung), Frank (Jacky Cheung) and Paul (Waise Lee), who flee Hong Kong after killing a member of a rival gang, ending up in Vietnam during the height of the Vietnam War.

This disc’s real highlight should be on the audio side. Featuring a lossless mono and Dolby Atmos mix of the original Cantonese (as well as an English mono mix), there’ll be plenty of action-packed scenes throughout to show off a sound system. Think ricocheting bullets from the rear speakers, big explosions to rattle a subwoofer and the drone of helicopters in Vietnam to show off Atmos.

Visually, the disc supports Dolby Vision, so I’m expecting strong contrast with deep black tones as well as vibrant colors, particularly during the scenes in Hong Kong. A 4K restoration should do wonders for upscaling textures and details as well, and based on other Hong Kong 4K releases I’ve seen from this time period, there’ll be plenty of film grain retained for cinephiles.

Release dates

• UK: 22nd June, 2026
• US: N/A (Shout Factory version released January 6, 2026)

Hoppers (Disney/Pixar)

Pixar’s latest entry, Hoppers, follows the story of Mabel (Piper Curada) a college student who transfers her mind into a robotic beaver in order to communicate with local wildlife, unintentionally starting a revolution among said wildlife. The movie also features Jon Hamm, David Franco and Meryl Streep among the voice cast.

Pixar’s animation is often visually gorgeous, so much so that Elemental is still a regular feature in my choice of reference scenes for testing TVs, thanks to its dazzling colors. While Hoppers doesn’t have the same vibrant colors throughout, I’m still expecting some nice colors and crisp animation that will really show off the right displays. With Dolby Vision supported, the animation should look sublime.

Movies in nature are another fantastic way of showing off a sound system, capturing the sounds of wildlife such as chirping birds, rustling trees and cracking twigs. The Wild Robot was a great example of this. With a Dolby Atmos soundtrack supported, I’m anticipating the same from Hoppers and looking forward to testing it out on our Samsung HW-Q990C soundbar.

Release date

• US: June 2, 2026
• UK: 8th June, 2026

Highlighted releases: June 2026

Below is a list of highlight releases for June 2026. Both US and UK release dates are featured here (these are indicated). Release dates may vary by region, with some coming later in the year or already released. Titles featured in my list above are in bold.

June 1/2

• Hoppers (8th June, 2026 UK)
• Five Easy Pieces (8th June UK)
• Charade (22nd June UK)
• The Flintstones (1994)
• Trainspotting (UK)
• Avatar: Fire & Ash (UK, May 19, 2026 US)
• Body Heat (UK, May 19, 2026 US)

June 8/9

• The Burbs
• Notting Hill
• The Chronicles of Riddick
• Steven Spielberg: The Spotlight Collection
• 36 Hours (UK)
• Scream 7 (UK, June 16 US)

June 15/16

• Speed Racer (UK, May 19 US)
• EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert (UK, August 11 US)
• Super Mario Galaxy Movie (US)
• Eraser
• Audition (1999)
• A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms

June 22/23

• Bullet In The Head (Arrow, UK)
• Labyrinth (Collector's Edition, UK)
• Dark Crystal (Collector's Edition, UK)
• Hairspray (1988)
• Hang 'Em High
• A Simple Plan
• Rush

June 28/29

• Jackie Chan's Breakout Hits! (1994-1998)
• Rush (UK)
• Highlander (UK)
• Mortal Kombat Kollection
• The Money Pit

• Peacock will stream Telemundo's World Cup coverage with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos in AC-4
• Dolby AC-4 codec promises higher sound quality than current streaming codecs
• All 104 matches will be covered

Last month we reported on a blind test that says Dolby's new-generation AC-4 audio codec sounds as good as 4K Blu-ray even at a low streaming bitrate. And now you can hear it as the soundtrack to the World Cup — if you have the right tech and subscriptions.

Dolby and NBCUniversal have teamed up to deliver a world first. Telemundo's live Spanish-language FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage will be streamed on Peacock in Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos using the AC-4 codec — according to Dolby, this is "the first commercial deployment of Dolby AC-4 by a video streamer."

All 104 matches will be broadcast using the technology, the first time it's been used for a major sporting event. It's also the first time the technology has been used by a major streaming service.

(If Spanish-language commentary isn't your thing, you might be interested in Samsung's latest TVs and their AI Soccer Mode, which enables you to remove the commentary entirely while keeping the crowd noise — we tested two affordable Samsung 2026 mini-LEDs here.)

Why this World Cup will sound like the future

Sound quality is one area where streaming can be disappointing. The audio codecs used by the major streaming services can't rival the quality of a 4K Blu-yay disc's soundtrack because their audio is too compressed.

AC-4 is more modern, and delivers much higher quality at the same bitrates, and in the double-blind listening test I referenced above, multiple audio pros couldn't tell the difference between AC-4 audio and uncompressed audio. It's up to 50% more efficient than current codecs, apparently.

The use of Atmos with AC-4 means the sound of these World Cup matches should be even more atmospheric, so if you've got a decent speaker setup or one of the best soundbars, it'll be even more fun to hear.

I'm not sure it'll be 100% as "vivid and electrifying as if you are sitting front row for each match without stadium prices" as the marketing blurb claims, but better dyanamic range with Dolby's spatial audio tech should mean it feels genuinely more immersive.

Dolby and NBCUniversal's engineers have spent a year working together to bring Dolby Vision to live sports, and according to NBCUniversal's senior vice president of global video engineering, David Bohunek, “Fútbol fans will love watching Telemundo’s FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage on Peacock in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos with Dolby AC-4 — it’ll be a truly stunning viewing experience they can’t get anywhere else.”

Of course, you'll need to be both a Peacock subscriber and using a TV with support for AC-4 in order to get the full effect. Dolby says that support in TVs is pretty widespread these days, and lists the following partners: "LG, Panasonic, Sony, TCL, Samsung, Sharp, Vantiva, Bang & Olufsen, Hisense, Huawei, Humax, Sagemcom, Skyworth/Strong, SEI Robotics, Innopia, Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, Liberty Global, Sunrise, SES HD+, Sky, Swisscom, Zattoo, Waipu.tv, PŸUR, Ocilion, Austrostream, TPVision, Vizio, Philips, Kaon, Winston Neweb".

Naturally, you'll to check if your particular devices supports it, using the manufacturer's website (or, more likely, Google).

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WiiM is one of the most interesting companies in the audio world right now, breaking out in the last couple of years in no small part thanks to capitalizing on Sonos' disastrous app update, and the company's quieter period since.

In that time, WiiM went from offering add-on boxes for traditional hi-fi, to launching sleek integrated streaming amps, to launching its own wireless speakers and subwoofer, starting with the WiiM Sound, to unveiling its first soundbar.

Ahead of the soundbar's launch, I spoke to WiiM's CEO, Dr. Lifeng Zhao, about the decisions the company made in developing the soundbar, whether WiiM has a signature sound profile, and what it means to offer "simplicity" in the context of these products, among other topics.

TechRadar: Tell me why you guys have chosen to do a soundbar now.

Lifeng Zhao: WiiM is four years old; in terms of brands right now we are a new player. So we did a streamer and amplifier, which convert or upgrade your existing audio gear. Those get really popular among our users, who start to expand [where they use them] to more environments: their living room; their media rooms. So, we always get this kind of feedback — they ask "when will you guys launch home theater, because we already have your gear, but we don't want to have separate components".

To use our streamer or amplifier, you have to have passive or powered speakers, right? But many people want to have one powerful all-in-one device in their living room. So they don't really want separate components because you know there's messing [with wires, and aesthetics], so we are always getting this request.

I'm also a big fan of entertainment, so for myself I want something simple to use with Dolby Atmos that can fulfill my music and TV experience. So, it came both from our own use, as well as a request from our community.

TechRadar: So, did you consider making an AV receiver or something like that before you decided to go the soundbar route? You already made the amps, so an AV receiver seems like it might have been the obvious way to go.

Lifeng Zhao: We already have the AV receiver if you think about it, right? We have the amps.

TechRadar: Only two channels.

Lifeng Zhao: Yeah, 2.1. But you can expand it with your surrounding channels [using wireless WiiM speakers]. That's the beauty of our systems. We don't want to make a traditional AVR, but we have a solution for those AVR users. People want a multi-channel system, but they don't want messy wired solutions. It's not flexible, and there are many limits on the placement, so we already have 2.1, but you can expand it with the surround speakers.

We are looking at more possibilities, but we don't want to make a legacy AVR; we want to make compact powerful and wireless versions of AVR.

TechRadar: The soundbar you guys are releasing is very good value considering the amount of physical channels that you've built in, and the amount of technology. A lot of soundbars at a similar price to yours are quite small, whereas yours is reasonably big. Can you talk through the design process around deciding how big you wanted the soundbar to be, and how that paired with the price you wanted to charge?

Lifeng Zhao: First of all, let's go back to our target users. We want this soundbar for both needs: watching TV plus listening to music. We don't want you to have to have two separate devices just because you watch TV and listen to music in your daily lives. So then we were thinking about how if we make [a product] only for the TV, just to improve the voice clarity, then we don't really need to go big — but we see a lot of people really want to listen to music with good bass, so the physics of that means we cannot make it too small.

So then we are thinking we can make [a soundbar with a subwoofer] but many people prefer the simplicity of an all-in-one — so that also gives us a size limit. So for our first one we wanted [to make one] people can just buy for most use cases. So with the size, our main target market is the US and Europe, and in most of Europe people have a single family [room]. So they have 55 inches or up TVs. So we did some surveys, and we think this is the kind of right size which can capture the majority of our audience.

TechRadar: You mentioned trying to balance the bass with the size and the compactness. So, you've got the four passive radiators in there. Were you designing the size of the soundbar around the size of the speakers and radiators you wanted to use, or were you choosing the speakers based on the size you wanted the soundbar to be?

Lifeng Zhao: We start with acoustic criteria. We say how deep a bass we want, based on our [previously launched devices]. We launched the amps, and we see how people set up their systems. We want to go to 50Hz, so users could get good bass — so that kind of gives us an acoustic volume. We calculate size based on this volume, but we do want it to be a sleek soundbar, so we have some height limits. But we can calculate the length, depth, and the height while leaving space for the speakers.

I always say we start from the acoustic criteria, then we calculate the size, then we design the best speaker driver according to this size limit.

TechRadar: Do you have more than one HDMI port, for passthrough?

Lifeng Zhao: We have one HDMI eARC, we don't have passthrough. We are thinking that people will connect most of their devices through the TV, because you have multiple HDMI inputs in the TV.

TechRadar: A lot of your competitors also only have one HDMI port, but there's a large number of people who have had their TV for a long time and they've collected a lot of boxes to connect to it, and so it can be really difficult to lose one of your HDMI ports to your soundbar. So, is there a reason behind this decision: was it either to do with cost or technical design or simplicity that you chose to only have one port?

Lifeng Zhao: Design is always about trade-offs, right? So, here I would say we value the simplicity, so people aren’t confusing HDMI and HDMI ARC. Before this journey [at Linkplay/WiiM] I also worked on media devices a lot in my past career, so we know that simplicity is very important. This is a choice to value that simplicity more in this device.

TechRadar: One of the interesting things about your soundbar is that you have a screen on the front, like the Wiim Sound speaker. Screens on soundbars is always quite a controversial topic, because people feel very strongly about having a light in front of their TV. Tell us about how the screen will work when you're watching content, and why you decided to include it.

Lifeng Zhao: We actually debated a lot internally. Our first screen-enabled devices [were the streamer and the amplifier], then the Sound speaker. So we actually accumulated a lot of experience in how people use a screen. To go back to your question regarding why we put a screen on the soundbar: first of all, the soundbar is made both for people using it for music and also watching TV, and in both cases we see a need for a screen. To give you some examples, when you listen to music, people always look somewhere to see what's playing, and they like looking at their favorite album art. We see people will even build a separate display just for artwork while listening, so we see this, and we want to provide integrated solutions for that.

Then we go back to the soundbar. So actually we are saying two things. One is that if you don't really need the screen, you can turn it off. Another thing is that we really want instant feedback. Think about it: if you only have an LED light right there with so many inputs, output and functions, how do you know what the status of the device is? It's really confusing even for me when I look at the LEDs, you know? I always forget, like, [what would flash] when the network doesn't work, right? How do I know it?

So, we want to give people a simple and intuitive control plus the instant feedback, because the device is so powerful. There are many statuses that may be important to your use cases. In a simple device we can just use a very simple app, but when it becomes very powerful, like your smartphone, you have to have a screen for people to interact.

TechRadar: There are obviously two ways to think about simplicity. And one is to have less information shown to keep it simple, and to have users trust that they're in the mode they like and things won’t change. Whereas I think you're saying that the way to introduce simplicity is to make sure people have all the information in front of them, so they're not questioning what the options are. That more information makes it simpler. Is it fair to say that's how you feel about it?

Lifeng Zhao: What I'm trying to say is that there are certain use cases where you need more information, but we don't want to give people too many options. So if you don't want that screen while you’re watching TV, our system will automatically turn off for you because you can separately configure the mode for each of your watching needs. But you can do even more, or we can do it automatically for you by default. You just need to set up once.

We want people using the screen intuitively. We don’t want to cause confusion; we don't want to become complicated. But [instead of] only having a red or a yellow indicator, we will tell you, oh, your network is disconnected, or your format is not supported, right? Let's say you don't support DTS, right? If you just have a yellow indicator, people will not really understand, they'll get really frustrated because they don't have any audio. So that's the kind of simplicity we want to have.

TechRadar: When it comes to expanding the system, you've got the ability to easily go to 5.1.2 channels by adding on the other WiiM products. Did you consider going beyond that? Because presumably with your technology, you could offer 7.1 2 or 5.2.2. Did you think about offering these?

Lifeng Zhao: Yeah, that's the beauty of our system, right? We started from separate components, so we accumulated a lot of experience. Another thing is that if you look at our wireless technology, we invest a lot in terms of wireless infrastructure — we have Wi-Fi 6E, so if you have the best routers we can leverage your routers, so we don't really have a limit. If your wireless environment can support it, we can expand it more.

Yes, when we launch the soundbar it supports 3.0.2, but as you mentioned we can expand it beyond 5.1.2, so that's exactly what we are doing, with the latest Wi-Fi standard you know we can expand more and with low latency.

[Editor's Note: Since this interview, WiiM has changed its stance and is aiming to support adding front left and right separate speakers for use with the WiiM Bar at launch, which can be either WiiM's wireless speakers or can be any speakers attached to a WiiM amp. Dr. Zhao gave us this additional comment: "We can confirm the bar supports wireless front, left, and right speakers. This wasn't originally intended as a launch feature, but based on community feedback and the team's testing, we decided to share it. There seems to be a lot of interest from our community, so if feedback and internal testing continue to go well, we'll look to keep it in."]

TechRadar: So are you saying that actually someone can go beyond 5.1.2 channels?

Lifeng Zhao: Right now we are saying 5.1.2, but potentially, with the software update we can expand more.

TechRadar: Speaking of wireless technology, have you guys explored Dolby Atmos FlexConnect as an option for your products?

Lifeng Zhao: We always look at different types of connectivity and the multi-channel options. FlexConnect definitely is on our radar.

TechRadar: Is there any reason why you're not supporting it now?

Lifeng Zhao: This is our first one, right? As I mentioned, we can support it with a software update, so the hardware is there. It's just about whether we feel it's mature enough, or the user experience [is ready]. We don't really want to give people half-baked technology; we want to make sure it’s really good and people can easily use it. So there's a possibility that we can do it even in current hardware with the software update, but I cannot commit on this one yet.

TechRadar: Speaking of the ecosystem, it looks like this is another piece of hardware that doesn't support Apple AirPlay 2, which is true of a lot of the new releases WiiM has launched. Are you able to say why this hasn't been included in the last few products?

Lifeng Zhao: We have many options on our devices, we support like more than 25 music services, then we have other ‘casting’ options there — and we value the people's content. If you're using Spotify, we want you using Spotify Lossless instead of a compressed [stream], and we see a lot of confusion, actually, of people using Spotify Connect with the other option you just mentioned [AirPlay 2]. So, it’s really a choice, like a design choice — we make it easy to use with high-res.

We really want people to leverage the best quality of their music on our system, and we also offer other options, which you can do very easily. We have multi-room no matter which source, via input to the Wiim. And with most of the music sources you can do lossless audio — so that’s the two options we offer right now.

TechRadar: You’re offering your RoomFit room correction here. I guess this is a very similar technology to what you've offered on the amps previously, but did you have to make any changes for working with Dolby Atmos and other formats you're supporting here?

Lifeng Zhao: It has to be different, right? Because in the soundbar we handle Dolby Atmos as a type of spatial audio, we also handle DTS, so we have multi-channel [sound to deal with]. Previously with RoomFit we started with like one device, then we expanded to 2.1 with a subwoofer — but now we’ve expanded RoomFit for the entire system. It's adding your surrounding speakers, adding your subwoofer, it’s not only doing stuff like balancing your SPL, or frequency spectrum, we also balance timing.

So we really expanded RoomFit for the spatial audio. We invested quite some time to get it right, and hopefully when we launch this soundbar people will be amazed by just how good it is. You just do one-tap calibration, it does everything for you: it calibrates the latency, the level matching, both for your front and surrounds and your subwoofer.

TechRadar: You mentioned earlier about designing the acoustic signature to deliver the right kind of sound that you wanted. And would you say that the new soundbar and the WiiM Sound speakers and your amps share a particular sound signature? Is there a sound signature that you believe is the WiiM style?

Lifeng Zhao: We are not really traditional hi-fi, if you look at our history. We really value the source. So that's why we always emphasize that, if you have a very good source, we want to replicate that in the original format. That means the resolution and in the bit depth, so we try to minimize the distortion when we do the [digital-to-analogue].

We do a lot of things mathematically to try to perfect the sound based on your existing system. In our amp we want to value your speaker signature you already have, so in our RoomFit we actually we want to just tackle the room mood most. So your high end, high frequency — we want to keep that signature [of your speakers] because that's what you paid for, right? So I would say we want to value people's preference more, and in the parts we can do well, we control that part — then we give people options. Simplicity, plus the powerful control.

If you go to advanced settings, you still can change your signature because if people whole, like, a warm sound they [can have it].

TechRadar: That makes sense, especially for the amps and things. But when you're making the soundbars and and WiiM Sound speakers, you're the ones choosing what the speaker output is going to sound like. So did you guys settle on a particular sound profile you wanted to make the default, or is it different for the soundbar than for the music speakers?

Lifeng Zhao: Exactly. Out of the box we want a really good sound, and if you talk about a sound signature, we do have different profile settings for the HDMI input or the music inputs. For the music inputs, we want to really have good clarity and a rich sound [with] respect to the original. Then for the HDMI, we tuned for more bass, for immersive audio. So we have a different profile, and I think it's a very good default for each of the sources.

TechRadar: It's interesting to talk to you about this element, because there are some companies I speak to where the speaker drivers are the things they really focus on, whereas your focus seems to be more on the processing and the signal pathway. Do you think that comes from the kind of company you are, as a digital platform company that has extended into speakers, instead of the other way around? Do you think that makes big difference as to how you approach your products compared to older hi-fi companies who did the analog part first and then are adding the digital in?

Lifeng Zhao: To make a better product, we need to marry the two sides. I would say we start from the digital world, but when we did the amplifier we actually [developed] a lot of analog, so we have a really good understanding of that digital-to-analog [process]. So we definitely are also analog people, and then when we do the speakers, our teams have people who worked in traditional [hi-fi] companies such as Harman Kardon, so we do have expertise on this area as well. Our talents will be in wireless, and in the DSP, and we also have a lot of acoustic engineers.

• WiiM launches its first soundbar for $479 / £449 (about AU$840)
• 8-driver array with dedicated upfiring drivers
• 3.0.2 channels, expandable to 5.1.2 with WiiM wireless speakers

WiiM has been building out its rival ecosystem to Sonos for a while now. The impressive WiiM Sound wireless speaker launched last year, and now the firm has unveiled its first soundbar. Based on its pricing, the new WiiM Bar is being positioned as a direct rival to the Sonos Beam (2nd Gen)... but on paper seems to beat it in a few key areas.

The WiiM Bar is a 3.0.2 Dolby Atmos soundbar with an eight-driver array, including upfiring height speakers, which the Sonos Beam lacks. It features automatic room correction, multi-room grouping and support for over 20 streaming services, and you can expand it to a full surround system with WiiM's other speakers and its subwoofer.

Unusually, there's a glass-covered 2.1-inch touch display on the front. That's an interesting choice when many people don't want any extra illumination near their TV screen.

We spoke to WiiM's CEO, Dr Lifeng Zhao, about the soundbar, and he told us that the screen is primarily there for people playing music through the soundbar — it'll display album art, like other WiiM devices do — and you can turn it off for watching movies or shows. He's confident some people will find it valuable anyway.

"We actually debated a lot internally," Dr Zhao says. "So actually we are saying two things. One is that if you don't really need the screen; you can turn it off. Another thing is that we really want instant feedback. If you only have a LED light right there, with so many input/outputs and functionality, how do you know the status of the device? It's really confusing, even for me. We want to give people a simple and intuitive control, plus the instant feedback."

WiiM Bar: key features and pricing

The eight-driver array features four passive radiators and a mix of front mid-woofers, front tweeters and the aforementioned full-range up-firing height drivers.

It's 3.0.2 channels, expandable to 5.1.2 channels with surround speakers and a subwoofer — and possibly more channels in the future. When we asked about supporting more satellite speakers or subwoofers, Dr Zhao told us that "potentially with a software update we can expand more," and that Dolby Atmos FlexConnect support is "on our radar". He was clear that we shouldn't expect either upgrade in the short term, though.

The WiiM Bar supports Dolby Atmos, and DTS:X audio (DTS being another benefit over the Sonos Beam, on top of the upfiring drivers), and it features RoomFit room correction. There are two extra audio modes: AI-powered dialog enhancement, and a night mode to help you stay friendly with your neighbors.

Streaming support includes nearly all the big names: Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz Connect, Google Cast and Roon, and streaming via the WiiM app takes the number of supported streaming services past 20.

However, as with other recent WiiM releases, this doesn't include Apple Music or AirPlay 2. We'll cover this more later, but we asked Dr Zhao why WiiM hasn't included AirPlay, and his answer — which we're not entirely convinced by — implies that it's about AirPlay's compression of audio.

"If you're using Spotify, we want you to use Spotify Lossless instead of a compressed [stream], right? So we are seeing a lot of confusion in people using Spotify Connect versus other options you just mentioned [AirPlay 2]," he said, referencing the fact that AirPlay 2 is still limited to compressed streaming through official support.

Spotify Lossless has existed for less time than WiiM been avoiding AirPlay support, so the timeline doesn't really work for this specific explanation, and WiiM offers Bluetooth and its compressed audio happily enough — but this is all the answer we're going to get officially.

The WiiM Bar has HDMI eARC, but no passthrough port, so you'll have give up the use of one of your HDMI ports for it. "We think that people will connect most of their devices through the TV because you have multiple HDMI ports in the TV," says Dr Zhao. Passthrough was considered, but the decision was made to keep things focused on "simplicity" — which is Sonos' claimed reason for not offering passthrough too, but has never really convinced our team (having to swap HDMI cables in the back of your TV because you've run out of ports does not aid simplicity).

This may be the firm's first soundbar, but Dr Zhao he doesn't consider it to be WiiM's first home theater product: the firm's amplifiers can be used as an HDMI-ready sound system, albeit in 2.1 channels. The soundbar is intended as a standalone device for people who, like Zhao, want big sound without lots of separates taking up space.

"We don't want to make a legacy AVR. People want one powerful all-in-one device in their living room." Those people include Dr Zhao: "I want something simple to use, I really like Dolby Atmos and I want it to fulfill both my music and my TV experience," he says. "So it's both for our own use as well as a request from our community."

It's an impressive specification, and the price is decent too: the official price is $479 / £449 (about AU$840). The WiiM Bar will be released in July, with pre-orders starting from 3 June 2026. It'll be really interesting to see how it compares with the equivalent Sonos when we get it in for testing.

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Welcome to a slightly delayed edition of the Blu-ray Bounty! In this month’s list, May 2026, we’ll be looking at five new 4K Blu-rays that could make for excellent additions to your growing collection.

If this is your first visit to the Blu-ray Bounty, welcome: you can check out previous editions of the Blu-ray Bounty at the link. In last month’s April 2026 list, we looked at a mammoth 8 discs: Ben-Hur (1959), 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, Gilda, Crime Story, The Devil’s Backbone and The Blade.

4K Blu-ray is a big deal for us here at TechRadar, as not only is it our primary source for testing the best TVs and best soundbars (thanks to its superior picture quality and lossless soundtracks), but we’re big collectors ourselves: we’re always on the lookout for more discs to add to our collection!

I’ll be using our reference setup to test this month’s discs, which consists of the LG G5, one of 2025’s best OLED TVs; the Panasonic DP-UB820, one of the best 4K Blu-ray players on the market and the Samsung HW-Q990C, an 11.1.4 channel Dolby Atmos soundbar system.

I won’t be writing about the movies themselves here: I’ll only be commenting on their picture and audio and how they could be a great way to show off your home theater system.

Fight Club (20th Century Studios)

Based on the novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club tells the story of an unnamed narrator (Edward Norton) who meets a charismatic soap salesman named Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) and together they start an underground fight club. Endlessly quotable, it was one of the most controversial movies of the 1990s.

Fight Club looks excellent on 4K. Textures have been upscaled well, and appear extra crisp. Close-up shots of characters' faces show fine details such as skin marks and hair with real clarity. While colors don’t play a major role in the movie, any that do have nice pop while still looking realistic. Tyler’s red jacket shows great color depth, as does the neon sign of Lou’s bar. The 4K disc also delivers strong contrast with deep black tones, accurately depicting the grimy nature of Tyler’s house and the Fight Club basement.

The disc itself doesn’t support Dolby Vision and while this would have potentially added more clarity and stronger contrast, the disc looks great. However, after online discussions of changes made by director David Fincher, I confirmed there have been some alterations. The most notable, which I confirmed from online chatter, is the clean-up of Marla’s face. While some viewers may find this distracting, I still feel the disc looks superb and is the best-looking version of this movie to date.

For audio, there’s no Dolby Atmos soundtrack, as it instead features a DTS-HD 5.1 MA mix. This mix is fantastic. It utilizes surround channels particularly in a very effective way, precisely mapping the sound during moments with fast moving camera shots. One in particular is the opening sequence where the camera drops down through the building, the sound accurately travels with the camera.

Elsewhere, there’s plenty of impact from the front channels during fight sequences, with the low-end providing some added rumble. Speech is clear for the majority of the movie, with the narration nice and clean throughout. I did find some instances where other effects drowned out the narrator’s voice, but this was only a handful of scenes.

Some Like It Hot (Altitude Films/Capelight Pictures)

Starring Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curts, Some Like It Hot tells the story of two men Joe (Curtis) and Jerry (Lemmon), two musicians who flee Chicago after witnessing a mob hit. They disguise themselves as women and join touring singer Sugar’s (Monroe) band. A classic comedy, the movie was nominated for several Academy Awards and earned Golden Globe wins for Lemmon and Monroe.

A quick note: this 4K restoration I’ll be discussing is from Altitude films and is mainly targeted for the UK market. There is a Criterion Collection release available (first launched in April 2025) in the US and other regions.

This 4K disc is another great example of what 4K can do for classic black and white movies. With Dolby Vision support, there’s excellent range between deep black tones and bright white tones, with plenty of gray tones in between to create a dynamic, engaging picture. Textures have been upscaled beautifully, meaning skin is clean and crisp, with some parts looking 3D-like in quality. Objects have some nice refined detail as well, with close-up shots of Jack and Joe’s instruments and the handles of a coffin, both in the opening scenes, showing off the 4K restoration’s detail. Cinephiles will be pleased with the amount of grain retained as well.

There are two main audio options included: a PCM, 2.0 mono mix and a DTS-HD 5.1 MA mix. The 2.0 mix is much more direct and loud, with speech at the forefront. I preferred the 5.1 mix as it added some nice detail throughout. Scenes with gunfire mapped ricocheting bullets to the rear channels accurately and musical sequences had a lot more depth in the 5.1 soundtrack. I did need to bump the volume up for louder speech, but it was worth it to get the balance.

“Wuthering Heights” (Warner Bros)

“Wuthering Heights” is Emerald Fennell’s (Saltburn) re-imagining of Emily Brontë’s classic novel of the same name. It follows the story of the Linton and Earnshaw families, both wealthy landowners in the Yorkshire moors. The story in particular centers on the relationship between Catherine (Cathy) (Margot Robbie), the daughter of the Earnshaw family and Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi), a boy that the family fosters, as the two fall into a forbidden love.

“Wuthering Heights” looks visually striking in 4K. Where it stands out most is in its color reproduction, where intentionally vibrant colors are used throughout. Dolby Vision really makes these colors vivid with plenty of pop, particularly the bold reds that Cathy often wears and the red floor of one of the Linton estate rooms. Whites and blues are another highlight.

There are plenty of high contrast scenes as well, with rich black tones during night scenes and vibrant whites during the movie’s winter section. The movie has plenty of gorgeous cinematography of the surrounding landscapes, which look phenomenally detailed and strikingly realistic. Close-ups of the various cast members also look incredibly refined and intricate.

The 4K disc supports a Dolby Atmos soundtrack, which is punchy and detailed. While you won’t get many action-packed scenes, speech is crystal clear throughout and the movie’s soundtrack, written by Charlie XCX and John Cale, is engaging. Subtle details are accurately delivered too, such as the creaking of the ropes of the swing Isabella pushes Cathy on in one scene.

Leaving Las Vegas (StudioCanal)

Leaving Las Vegas follows the story of Ben (Nicolas Cage), an alcoholic Hollywood screenwriter who plans to drink himself to death in Las Vegas before striking up a relationship with callgirl Sera (Elisabeth Shue). Cage earned an Academy Award for his portrayal of Ben.

A note that this release is the StudioCanal version released in the UK and Europe. US readers’ most local version is the Shout Factory version released in December 2025.

Leaving Las Vegas was shot in 16mm film as opposed to 35mm — something you’d expect from movies on a lower budget. While this means the overall look of the film is on the softer side, there is definitely some great upscaling in this 4K restoration. Shots of Ben’s face show excellent detail in his pale skin and the dark circles around his tired eyes. Colors also have a nice vibrancy to them, mainly thanks to the neon-clad streets of Las Vegas, which really pop whenever they’re on screen. Ben and Sera’s sometimes brightly colored clothing also looks natural. The movie’s night scenes also present solid black levels too. Overall, a very good restoration.

This disc supports a DTS-HD 5.1 MA mix which is effective. Speech is clearly presented throughout and balances well with other sound effects. The movie’s score, which features a blend of smooth and chaotic jazz, is presented with excellent clarity and is nicely balanced across all channels, evenly spread across the four units of the Samsung HW-Q990C soundbar system I was using.

Point Blank (Criterion Collection)

Point Blank tells the story of Walker (Lee Marvin), a man who is left for dead by his partner Mal Reese (John Vernon) after a robbery. Upon recovering, Walker seeks revenge on Reese and others who have wronged him.

This is yet another great restoration from Criterion, a common theme that’s been happening on the Blu-ray Bounty for some time now. Textures have been cleaned up well, with object detail and people’s skin showing the benefits of a 4K restoration. Where Point Blank really shines is with its colors. As it was made in the 1960s, there’s plenty of bold colors throughout to fit the aesthetic of the time period, from the yellow-themed apartment Walker and Chris share to the green office the antagonists use. Colors crucially though are also true-to-life throughout, never looking oversaturated. There’s also some high contrast scenes during the night with strong shadows cast across people’s faces that looked fantastic on the G5 OLED I used for viewing.

There’s only a monaural soundtrack option for this disc and while it would have been nice to have some form of surround option to capture the movie’s more action packed driving and shootout sequences, the monaural is solid. Speech is clear throughout the movie and there’s still some good impact from gunshots and car crashes. It’s also accurately mapped, capturing Walker’s frantic driving as he intimidates a crooked car salesman.

Sonos has offered the ability to add wireless rear speakers to its soundbars, creating an effective compact surround-sound system, for well over a decade. But this setup really hasn't changed much from the Playbar to the Sonos Arc Ultra — you can still have the soundbar with two rear speakers, and one or two subwoofers.

For years now, Sonos superfans have been begging the company to expand these options with the ability to use its wireless speakers as true front left and right channels for a home theater setup.

The frustration is width: elite soundbars like the Arc Ultra have angled drivers so that the audio sounds much wider than the soundbar itself, but there are diminishing returns with 'virtualized' width compared to the real width of just having speakers on either side of your TV, the way you would in a five-channel surround sound system made from separate speakers. And we just had a reminder from a Dolby exec about how important width is in recreating Dolby Atmos mixes.

People love the simplicity of a wireless Sonos setup compared to building out a wired separates system, and many are enamored with Sonos' sound profile. But as time goes on, the failure to innovate in the kinds of setups available starts to look stubborn at best.

Imagine that you have a Sonos Beam 2nd Gen connected to your TV over HDMI, and it receives the Dolby Atmos sound and then streams it out to a Sonos Era 300 to the left of your TV and one to the right of your TV.

These would deliver real width, especially since the Era 300 has left and right drivers, as well as forward-facing. The Beam serves as the center channel for clear dialogue, and the Era 300s deliver powerful side channels and height channels. And, of course, you could combine with wireless rear speakers, as Sonos does already.

People are choosing to buy bigger and bigger TVs, which need wider and wider sound to match their scale. We can't keep making soundbars bigger to compensate (well, we can, but I'm not sure it'll really please anyone).

Sonos has been in the perfect position to capitalize on this, and yet somehow Sony beat it to the punch by announcing the Sony Bravia Theatre Trio, an 'LCR' (left, center, right) wireless system that's more or less exactly the setup I described above, but with Sony speakers.

Here's what really galls the Sonos superfans: the tech already exists, unofficially, to do this, and many have tried it. There is a whole subreddit dedicated to a third-party app called Sonosequencr, and the developer makes it clear that they're not hacking the speakers to make this possible: they're tapping into tech already dormant in Sonos' system, that Sonos has never fully enabled.

Using Sonosequencr comes with tradeoffs, with the main one being that you can't use Trueplay to correct the sound for your room, so in some cases it's possible you're better off sticking with a regular Sonos setup that compensates for your room's reflections, especially if you have a smaller space — but in some large setups, the addition of real speakers might be the better option. Sonos could also break the third-party app at any time, since it's all unofficial.)

There were leaks that Sonos was planning to enable this kind of setup using its canceled streaming box as the centerpiece, but this obviously never came to fruition (but the tech that Sonosequencr taps into might be the vestigial remains of it, or an earlier version of it).

I wrote at the time that I hoped it would retain the exact feature I'm talking about today, but there's been no sign of it since then. That's probably partly because Sonos spent a year just trying to fix its app's problems and getting things ready for multiple launches this year (which started with the Sonos Play).

Maybe Sonos is getting ready to unleash a new world of home theater flexibility on us — when I interviewed CEO Tom Conrad, I asked him about Dolby Atmos FlexConnect and its ability to work with really flexible speaker placement, he said: "We're interested in that entire space, the entire domain of: How do you get the bits from the source to the speakers? How do you position the speakers in three-dimensional space? And how do you render? We'll continue to work on our roadmap."

In response to a question about TV makers launching their own wireless speaker tech and pushing Sonos out, Conrad said: "We're the pioneer in wirelessly distributing audio around the family room, and we'll have our own things to say about how that evolves in the coming quarters."

So it definitely sounds like Sonos has something planned for home theater this year, and I really hope it takes the chance to finally unleash extra speaker positions. The fact that Sony got there first really surprised me, but Sonos has a key advantage: price.

Sony's system costs £2000 (about $2,690 / AU$3,750) for the front three speakers. The closest Sonos setup in terms of Dolby Atmos performance would be the Beam 2nd Gen and two Era 300 speakers, as I mentioned above. At the time of writing, that costs $1,127 / £1,077 / AU$2,297 — but you could swap the Era 300s for a pair of Era 100 SL speakers, and the price would drop to $707 / £657 / AU$1,377.

When I think about the scale of performance you could get from that setup for that price… well, like I said, the whole thing

• Dolby exec says movie mixers independently made the same changes in Dolby Atmos mixes
• They moved the music "into the room", away from the screen and the dialogue
• The change was "immediately, obviously better"

Home theater fans often have very strong opinions about soundbars versus separates-based surround sound systems (as a comment on our recent article on the choices in the Fight Club 4K Blu-ray evidences), arguing that even the best soundbars simply can't deliver the same width, depth and immersion of a separates-based surround system.

And recent comments from Senior Vice President of Entertainment at Dolby Laboratories, John Couling, arguably backs them up: he describes a change in the way movie audio was mixed due to the transition to Dolby Atmos, and it struck us that it ties strongly into one part of why separates-based systems are likely to deliver a better experience with movie soundtracks.

What moviemakers are doing with their audio mixes

Posting on LinkedIn, Coulis described the early days of Dolby Atmos. "We would continuously ask questions and take notes as teams of film mixers started to explore the technology," he says, "and we noticed that almost every mixer, without being told to, instinctively did the same thing."

He continued: "They took the film's music from the left and right speakers and pulled it just slightly into the room — down the side walls, away from the screen. The screen became more about action and dialogue, while the music became part of the atmosphere surrounding the audience."

The change was "immediately, obviously better," Coulis says. "The front stage had more clarity, and the music found its proper place."

That's great on a full set of surround-sound speakers where the music's moving out to left and right speakers that are fully past the left and right sides of your TV or projector screen. They're capable of delivering the kind of width necessary to get the full effect of what Coulis is talking about.

But, of course, standalone soundbars don't have speakers out to the sides, so with budget soundbars you're going to miss out on this intentional separation of the dialogue and music in the 3D Atmos space.

Bery expensive standalone soundbars with angled drivers, virtualization and clever digital processing will do a far better job of this, but they're ultimately compensating for what isn't physically there: there's no real substitute for having strong speakers out side.

That's not to say soundbars are bad; of course they're not. Some of the best ones are truly exceptional and even the budget ones are a big audio upgrade compared to your TV. They're a lot more convenient and often a lot less expensive too.

But Coulis' comments are a fresh reminder and a new perspective on the idea that if you're serious about soundtracks, separate speakers are likely to deliver the most realistic results.

Sony has just announced the Bravia Theatre Trio, which is a new Dolby Atmos wireless system that splits the difference between a proper surround system and a soundbar, and is particularly designed with huge TVs in mind, to make sure the soundscape is wider than the TV itself — but will be tempting to anyone who wants a physically more separated sound than the best soundbars alone can deliver.

It can also be expanded into a fuller wireless surround setup, and I got to hear this full-force system in action. But first, let's go over the basics.

The Sony Bravia Theatre Trio is, as the name implies, three wireless speakers in a package. It's what home theater fans call an 'LCR' system — meaning left, center, and right channels.

There's a center speaker that's like a mini soundbar, which connects to your TV over HDMI eARC. And there are left and right speakers that look like little pillars with a flat section added to the back, so they can be wall-mounted.

The center speaker has two woofers and a tweeter, while each of the the side speakers each has a woofer and tweeter facing forward, and then an 8cm upfiring driver for Dolby Atmos height channels.

In the simplest terms, this is a 3.0.2-channel system, though Sony says that the system is built heavily around virtualization of more in-depth speaker setups. This initial three-speaker system can apparently mimic 24 phantom channels.

Sony says that it's done some smart stuff with its virtualization tech in the Bravia Theatre Trio, including rethinking how those phantom channels work: they're now designed not just to mimic the placement of a more elaborate speaker setup, but also to mimic the "indirect sound sources" of a cinema room's acoustic signature, including reflections.

So yes, for those keeping track of how psychoacoustic virtualization works, it may be the case that this system is using the reflections of your room to create the sense of an entirely different set of reflections…

To help the system do this as well as possible, it comes with a USB-C microphone that you can use for room calibration. Just plug it into your phone or tablet, fire up Sony's app, and follow the instructions so it can do its best work.

As I mentioned above, this three-speaker core setup can be expanded with add-on rear speakers or a subwoofer as well.

You have two choices of subwoofer: the new Sub 8 is a mid-range option, while the Sub 9 is an absolute massive beast of a sub by lifestyle tech standards. It looks like two Sub 8 units glued together with a vent in the middle, and while Sony didn't confirm the specs, I wouldn't be surprised if that's not far from the truth.

You also have two choices of rear speaker: there's the existing Bravia Rear 8 or the new Bravia Rear 9, which are more or less the same speakers as the front left and right (woofer, tweeter and upfirer combo — in the same design).

Of course, these add-ons will cost you — and the core Bravia Theatre Trio package isn't cheap either. Here's the breakdown of all those options (Sony was only able to provide UK pricing pre-launch and Australian info for the Theatre Trio only, but we'll update with other pricing as we get it):

Sony eats Sonos' lunch

Before I get to my experience of the performance of these speakers, something that immediately struck me is that this kind of setup is what Sonos' users have been begging to company to do for years.

Given that Sonos' whole thing is wireless satellite speakers, its users have asked many, many times (directly and on the r/sonos subreddit) for the ability to use separate front left and right speakers in an LCR setup with its soundbars.

There's even a third-party app that enables this called SonoSequencr, which is quite popular among Sonos home theater enthusiasts.

It seems wild that Sony has offered this before Sonos, and with a better spec list than Sonos can offer, because the Bravia Theatre Trio offers both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support (Sonos lacks DTS), and has an HDMI passthrough port (supporting 4K 120Hz) so you don't lose an HDMI port by using it.

Of course, if Sonos did end up offering a setup to compete with this, it could have a major price advantage. You can get a Sonos Beam Gen 2 (as the center channel) and two Sonos Era 300 speakers (as spatial audio side speakers) for £1,077 at the time of writing, compared to £2,000 for the Sony system.

And there's also the small issue that in my demo of the Sony system I found it to be quite hit and miss…

Mixing it up

I didn't get to hear just the Bravia Theatre Trio core setup on its own at Sony's event; instead I heard the fullest setup, with the original trio, two Rear 9 speakers, and two Sub 9 subwoofers (though, somewhat oddly, these were placed next to each other rather than spaced for even bass distribution).

In terms of pure physical channels, this is a 7.2.4 setup, but Sony was unable to confirm exactly what the virtualized channel setup it creates using the phantom channels would be — though Sony confirmed that you get 24 phantom channels regardless of how many physical speakers are involved.

First up we watched the big music performance in Sinners at the juke joint. What jumped out straight away is that the system provides a really powerful and warm sound, which is really well suited to the pounding of drums and making the tonality of guitars feel solid and electric.

However, I wasn't that impressed with separation of different elements in the mix, despite all the Dolby Atmos power going on — and in particular I felt that the vocals were more subdued than I'd expect, especially for a system with an actual separate center speaker.

Moving onto the car shoot-out in No Time to Die, the surround and positioning effects got a particular chance to shine. The rear effects were solid, but the side effects were especially impressive considering there are no real speakers there.

Building on that, I thought the way sound moved from the front, around the sides, and to the back was especially impressive — it felt like the sound moved smoothly the whole way, and didn't jump from the front to the back, which is how it can feel in some simple five-channel systems.

But this demo also showed the same apparent weakness with vocals, with dialogue feeling soft and a little muddy even in the quieter moments — and even some of the mid-frequency effects seemed to not pop quite as strongly as they should (I have seen this scene a lot in demos).

The final demo was the first racing scene in Ready Player One, and the system produced a lot of sound and fury all around me here… but I thought there was a slight softness to the fine details that held it back — the very sudden sounds didn't seem quite as dramatically sudden as they should, which robbed them a little of impact, scale and spectacle.

That last point wasn't helped by the fact that in all three demos I noticed that the sound and visuals weren't quite in sync. This isn't uncommon in HDMI ARC-based systems at all, but I don't normally notice it as strongly as I did here — and I think it made a difference when experiencing the crunching crashes of Ready Player One if you see the impacts before you hear them.

Of course, this is far from a review — and I'm really interested to see how just the core Bravia Theatre Trio set performs on its own. But at this early stage, I'm kind of torn: I love the overall concept and the design, but I'm concerned about the high price based on the performance I heard so far.

I think it’s fair to say that Fight Club has been one of the most anticipated 4K Blu-rays in recent years. Although it seemed like it would never launch, in May 2026, the eagerly awaiting disc finally arrived.

Not only was it one of my picks for my most anticipated 4K Blu-rays for May 2026, but it was one of my most anticipated ever. It’s one of those movies that has stuck with me and until now, it has only been available on standard Blu-ray (which has 1080p resolution) or HD on Disney Plus.

There was no better place to try out the 4K Blu-ray than our TechRadar testing labs, with the reference setup that I use for our monthly Blu-ray Bounty column in which we review the latest 4K releases (Flight Club will feature in the May 2026 edition).

The setup is formidable. It consists of the LG G5 (one of 2025’s best OLED TVs), the Panasonic DP-UB820 4K Blu-ray player (one of the best 4K Blu-ray players on the market) and the Samsung HW-Q990C (one of the best soundbars in recent years).

As I fired up the disc, I glanced at the back of the case and noticed immediately that two big features were missing, and for some home theater fans, their absence might just be a dealbreaker.

No Dolby Vision or Atmos: why?

Yes, there is no Dolby Vision or Dolby Atmos support for the Fight Club 4K Blu-ray. The disc instead supports HDR10 and a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio soundtrack. Dolby Vision was apparently left off Fight Club at director David Fincher's request (according to a tweet from Feb 2026 from TheHDRoom on X). For some this may come as a surprise, and a potential disappointment, but there is a potential explanation. We need only look to another 4K title from Fincher’s back-catalogue for a clue.

Looking at the Se7en 4K Blu-ray we had in our testing lab, this doesn’t support Dolby Vision or Atmos either. Again, it offers HDR10 and DTS-HD 5.1 MA instead. Why is this? Well, we know Fincher made changes to the Se7en 4K restoration by using AI, according to a Rolling Stone article from January 2025.

As Dolby Vision uses dynamic metadata to analyze a picture shot-by-shot, this may have interfered with Fincher’s vision for the home release, presumably after making said changes. And thanks to some dedicated work from some Reddit users, we know for a fact that Fincher has made some alteration to the Fight Club 4K compared to the standard Blu-ray. And it’s been controversial to say the least.

Going through changes

Although not quite as drastic as George Lucas’ edits to Star Wars in the 1997 DVD release, Fincher has made some subtle (and a couple of not so subtle) changes to the Fight Club 4K Blu-ray. In a Reddit thread boosted to r/4KBluray by u/Kecofo8180, the top comment features a list of changes compiled by u/PhoneixBee32.

These run from added lens flare to a torch and a clean-up of some ceiling tiles, all the way to the a touch of spot-removal on Marla's face. The list was compiled based on a small selection of 4K Blu-ray vs standard Blu-ray comparison screenshots, meaning there are likely a lot more.

I decided to check out Marla’s appearance to see just how different she looked. Switching between the 4K Blu-ray and a HD stream of the movie on Disney Plus, the clean-up treatment was obvious. In the 4K shot, Marla has noticeably smoother skin with fewer spots and pimples, and the dark circles under her eyes have been reduced in comparison to the shot from the HD stream (see images above). It’s an odd choice considering the HD stream, with the more original look, feels more accurate to Marla’s character.

I also compared a brighter scene where the narrator is confronted by his boss. Looking at the two images, I was intrigued to note that the framing of the scene has been changed. In the 4K, the shot seemed to have been zoomed out — the narrator is fully in frame, as is an ashtray beside him. In the HD stream, his hand is partially cut off, his hair is brushing the top of the frame, and the ashtray is only half in shot.

There are some other tweaks I noticed, but a lot of them are so subtle that you wouldn't spot them unless you were studying the 4K Blu-ray and HD stream/Blu-ray versions side-by-side. Still, for those fans who like their 4K discs unaltered, this isn't welcome news.

Needless to say, there have been a number of Reddit threads discussing the 4K Blu-ray, and the response to these changes has been mixed. u/cheeseholidays commented "I do not understand filmmakers who do this", while u/epicmemetime15 wrote 'The editing of Helena's face is very weird" (referring to Helena Bonham Carter who plays Marla).

Other users have been more forgiving, and positive about how good the actual 4K looks. u/OK_Support2444 said, "Eh, I saw the remaster in theaters and it looked gorgeous" and u/requiuminadream commented, "I think this is looking phenomenal. Few minor tweaks here or there, but the image quality looks outstanding."

Still the best

Despite the alterations, as I was switching between the HD stream and the 4K Blu-ray, the 4K’s HDR strengths were obvious. While I’ll be sharing my full thoughts in the May 2026 Blu-ray Bounty column, I have some initial comments below.

Despite Marla’s smoothed skin, other details such as the whites of her eyes in a close-up shot, or the beads of sweat running down the narrator’s face, really pop thanks to those HDR highlights. The red of Tyler’s jacket is bold but realistic and exterior shots of Lou’s bar look excellent thanks to the vibrant neon signs.

The HDR also really helps deliver high-contrast scenes, including the Fight Club fights themselves, balancing the light tones from the overhead lamps with the dark tones of the dingy, grimy walls and floors.

The 4K disc’s DTS-HD 5.1 MA soundtrack also sounds great. There’s plenty of impact during fight scenes, with punches sounding worryingly realistic, with good bass as people tackle each other to the floor. But it’s the use of the rear speakers that’s really fascinating. During the opening, as the camera pans down from the top floor where the narrator and Durden are to the basement, the sound moves too. With the Samsung soundbar system I was using, the sound shifted from the front channels to the rear channels.

While these are only my first impressions, I can safely say the Fight Club 4K is excellent so far. Yes, Dolby Vision would have been welcome for those dark and high contrast scenes, and Dolby Atmos may have added more to the movie’s meaty fight sequences, but based on my first viewing on our reference system, this is a superb-looking and -sounding 4K Blu-ray.

It seems users are torn, so I decided to stop the comparison and just watch the 4K Blu-ray.

While a lot of people will be considering a visual or audio upgrade to their home setup in time for the World Cup, which kicks off June 11, one football fan's setup is going to make your plans feel… inadequate. It's an elite home theater designed with sports in mind, and it's won two CEDIA awards.

The project is called the Buzzards Road Home Cinema, and it was developed and executed by IndigoZest and Cinema Luxe. It uses a Sony 4K projector, an acoustically transparent screen (where LCR speakers were positioned behind the screen), and a 9.4.4-channel Dolby Atmos sound system.

Driving the system is a Artcoustic CPH1000D digital amplifier, an Anthem MCA 325 v2 power amplifier, and an Anthem MRX 1140 v2 Dolby Atmos AV receiver.

For speakers, Artcoustic made up the majority of the speaker configuration. Artcoustic Spitfire A10 wall speakers, Artcoustic SL 2-1 three-way monitor speakers and Artcoustic SL Architect PAS SPL in-ceiling speakers were used. For subwoofers, there were two Artcoustic Spitfire Sub 3 and two Artcoustic Sub 2 units in use.

For pictures, a Sony 4K projector and a 145-inch Control4 Dragonfly Fixed Ultra AcoustiWeave Projection Screen acoustically transparent screen were installed.

Alongside this, a Kaleidescape Strato 4K UHD Movie Player was installed, a premium alternative to the best 4K Blu-ray players that we’ve used here at TechRadar and it’s legitimately the real deal.

This is a seriously immersive setup with plenty of power and you’ll often find Sony 4K projectors at the heart of a reference setup, like the one I saw at AWE’s headquarters back in 2024. But the AV equipment was only one part of this system.

Football fan paradise

One element crucial to the whole concept was the use of the room for showing football games (particularly Newcastle United).

Paul Laventure, Client Director at IndigoZest, said “Big sporting events are ultimately about shared experience, and that sits at the heart of how these spaces are approached. The ‘perfect’ setup goes beyond just a large screen and great sound; it’s about creating an environment that brings people together effortlessly”.

This was taken into consideration for planning not only the layout of the seating, opting for a more sociable layout to the traditional home theater seating, but also for control. The room's owner wanted to able to switch easily between movie viewing and football, but not just in a boring regular setup.

The installers used Control4, a smart control system focused on multi-unit control from one platform, the add a one-button ‘Football Mode’. Using this not only switches to watching football in the home theater room, but the match is also broadcast around the wider property.

For an added bit of smart control magic, whenever someone calls to the house on its gate intercom, the content on the screen — including live broadcast matches — pauses to make sure “nothing was missed”.

A good-looking room

While cinephiles and home theater enthusiasts may not be too worried about the look of a room, Buzzards Road was designed to be a social space that also reflected the look of the rest of the property. This is where interior designer Sinead Kelly Herbert came in.

Working with the AV team, Herbert worked to implement the best fixtures to make the cinema room feel more welcoming. Bronze lighting fixtures were used, as well as a fiber-optic star ceiling, CNC-cut panelling and a stone-finished bar at the rear of the room.

Alongside this, all the speakers listed earlier, and the projector, are hidden so the room feels as comfortable as possible. The result? “Today, it’s the most-used room in the house — a social space, a sanctuary, and a statement in refined entertainment,” says Laventure.

With all these visual touches and the focus on a social environment for a great atmosphere for football, not to mention the Football Mode and exquisite-looking list of equipment, this sounds like the ultimate World Cup watch party place. Alas most of us will just have to settle for the best TVs and best soundbars.

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• Dolby AC-4 was the preferred codec of multiple audio pros
• Better than existing Atmos audio without high bandwidth requirements
• Peacock is upgrading but other streamers haven't announced any plans

One of the biggest differences between streamed movies and 4K Blu-ray is the sound quality: even the most expensive streaming tiers deliver compressed audio with a clear reduction in dynamic range and clarity compared to disc-based playback.

But that might change thanks to a new version of Dolby's sound technology that audio experts apparently can't tell apart from uncompressed PCM, but that works at streaming bitrates.

The new technology is called Dolby AC-4, and it's a codec: an encoder/decoder for compressing audio. It's designed to deliver much higher audio quality than current streaming soundtracks, and can do so without requiring lots of bandwidth.

With a bit of help from the New York section of the Audio Engineering Society and Engine Room Audio, the audio pros at Immersive Machines in the US set up a double-blind listening test where audio experts heard mixes in multiple formats including the current streaming standard, DD+JOC (using the Dolby Digital+ codec).

Again and again the experts picked AC-4 as having the best sound quality of the compressed audio formats.

How Dolby AC-4 could make your streams sound sweeter

Most streaming apps use DD+JOC for immersive audio. It's a version of the tried and tested Dolby Digital standard, with the JOC bit standing for "Joint Object Coding". It enables Dolby Atmos to deliver positional audio without breaking support for 5.1-channel setups.

Dolby AC-4 is what Dolby calls a Next Generation Audio codec, and it's designed to more efficiently deliver audio for headphone and speaker listening, including 3D object information.

As Dolby explains: "The AC-4 coding system utilizes new aspects of object audio beyond what is already available with Dolby Atmos in other Dolby codecs for features like dialogue enhancement or commentator substitution." And significantly, it "can deliver equivalent channel-based audio quality at roughly half the bitrate of Dolby Digital Plus".

That's impressive, but does it deliver?

Immersive Machines' listening test used three formats: DD+JOC at 768 kbps, uncompressed PCM audio at 13,824 kbps, and AC-4 L4 at 448 kbps. The listeners heard them on a full 7.1.4-channel system, on the same system with specific speakers muted, and to individual speakers soloed. Each format was given the letter A, B or C and their identities weren't revealed until the test was done.

The test wasn't just based on vibes. Listeners were asked to identify compression artefacts such as gating, "swishing", loss of spatial precision and loss of frequency range. And with all the speakers on — ie, the way you'd listen at home — AC-4 was in a dead heat with the reference uncompressed PCM audio.

Compression was more noticeable in AC4 when individual speakers were soloed, but for a full home theater setup, AC-4 delivered sound that apparently matches lossless but while streaming just 3% of the data.

There are some caveats here, notably the sample size: a test with 16 listeners isn't hard science. But at the same time, 16 audio pros told to listen critically are going to be much more picky than you or I are likely to be, so it's still quite the endorsement.

The first TV/movie streaming service delivering AC-4 will be Peacock, although the technology is also being used by Amazon Music and TIDAL (but specifically for binaural headphones-based spatial audio). Other streamers may migrate but so far there haven't been more announcements since Peacock's news at CES 2026.

You can find out more about the Immersive Machines testing here, but while it does suggest that streamers could deliver similar sound quality to 4K Blu-ray in the very near future, it's worth noting that Dolby AC-4 doesn't address one of the other reasons people buy Blu-Ray discs: unlike streaming, bought Blu-Rays don't disappear from your library when streaming rights expire or the streamer decides to slim down its catalog.

Better quality has absolutely been a major driver for why people buy 4K Blu-rays, especially if you have a great home theater setup — but collection and ownership is growing as a reason why people are becoming invested in Blu-ray again, and AC4 won't change that.

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The 2026 World Cup is only a few weeks away, so if you're thinking of upgrading your home setup, now is the time. With new 2026 TVs appearing in stores now, 2025's models are at some of their cheapest prices, meaning you can grab a real bargain.

But, while you may be looking at a new TV or a new soundbar, I've come up with a few TV/soundbar combos in case you're looking to overhaul your whole home setup.

To be clear, any of these TVs will go great with any of these soundbars if you're looking to mix and match, but I've picked pairs to hit particular budgets that are ideal matches.

I've chosen some of the best TVs from the likes of Samsung, Hisense and TCL and the best soundbars from Sonos, Samsung and more.

Setup 1: Budget bang-for-buck

TV: TCL QM6K/C6K

The TCL QM6K, known as the TCL C6K in the UK, is a budget gem. It uses a mini-LED panel that delivers punchy colors, strong contrast with deep black levels and solid brightness all for an affordable price.

With a measured HDR fullscreen brightness of 594 nits in Standard mode for the QM6K and 706 nits in the same mode on the C6K, these TVs are more than bright enough to handle daytime viewing without distracting reflections. With games played at various times throughout the day in the World Cup, this is crucial.

The QM6K/C6K also make for great gaming TVs when you're not watching the World Cup. They support 4K 144Hz, FreeSync Premium, Dolby Vision gaming and ALLM: an excellent suite of features for a TV this price.

The QM6K/C6K's best feature is its price. A 65-inch model will cost $699 / £649 respectively, which is a bargain for what you're getting. This is easily the best option for the budget conscious.

Soundbar: Sony HT-S150F

The Sony HT-SF150, know as the Sony HT-S100F in the US and Australia, is our current pick for the best super-cheap soundbar on our best soundbars list. Why? Because it delivers impressive depth, clear speech and decent power and bass for a very low price: $99 / £99 / AU$199.

It also has a decent feature set including Bluetooth support for music streaming, an elegant design and easy setup and use: all big positives for a budget soundbar.

While it isn't the most sonically diverse soundbar, it's superb value and will really help add another level to your World Cup experience by boosting commentary and crowd noise more than your TV's speakers would.

Setup 2: The step-up option

TV: Hisense U8Q

The Hisense U8QG is an excellent-value mini-LED TV. It produces rich colors and powerful contras,t and has a strong feature set including both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support, plus 4K 165Hz and VRR for gaming.

The U8Q also produces super-high brightness for a TV at this price point. A measured 3,337 nits and 2,888 nits peak HDR brightness in Filmmaker Mode and Standard respectively really help highlights pop on screen as well as producing strong perceived contrast.

With 744 nits HDR fullscreen brightness and even 600 nits of SDR fullscreen brightness, the U8Q is more than capable of handling bright rooms — perfect for daytime World Cup games.

At $999 / £1,299 / AU$1,599 for a 65-inch model, the U8Q is fantastic value for the performance it delivers and the features it comes with. If you're looking for a substantial upgrade at a fair price, this is top-notch value.

Soundbar: Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) may be a few years old now, but it's still one of the best all-in-one, mid-range soundbars you can get. It delivers spacious, punchy sound quality with plenty of detail. This compact soundbar is mightier than it looks.

Not only does it tick the boxes for movies, but it's fantastic for music too. It delivers the same detail it does for movies, offering a layered sound with strong, well-controlled bass, clear highs and natural sounding mid-tones.

The Beam also supports hi-res audio and Dolby Atmos, as well as Wi-Fi streaming support for better sound quality. At its usual $499 / £449 / AU$799 price tag it's a great value soundbar that will give any World Cup game an extra dimension — and occasionally it gets nice deals, too. It's great in its own right, but can be expanded with a subwoofer and rear speakers too for a fuller experience.

Setup 3: The premium option

TV: Samsung QN90F

The Samsung QN90F really is the perfect for TV for sport. Not only does it deliver high brightness thanks to its mini-LED panel, but it comes equipped with a Glare Free matte screen that makes it the ideal TV for those in a bright room because it totally squashes reflections even in darker scenes. Daytime sports viewing will be no issue for the QN90F.

Aside from the brightness, the QN90F has excellent motion handling. With the right settings (judder and blur adjustments set to 3), it delivers a smooth picture that will help deliver the games from the World Cup accurately and more clearly than basically anything else on the market.

The QN90F also delivers excellent contrast and color for movies and is a gaming powerhouse with 4K 144Hz, VRR and ALLM all supported across four HDMI 2.1 ports.

Since its release in 2025, its prices have dropped significantly. A 65-inch set costs $1,599 / £1,399 / AU$2,899 so while it's at the pricier end of the mini-LED market, it is excellent value, made even better by the big drop in price from its original $2,499 / £2,499 / AU$3,499 price tag.

Soundbar: Samsung HW-Q800F

The Samsung HW-Q800F sits at the top of our best soundbars list. It delivers a powerful, immersive sound with solid Dolby Atmos reproduction. Its subwoofer, which is a new compact, dual-driver unit, produces some serious bass that's precise and well controlled.

Speaking of precise, this is one of the Q800F's greatest strengths. Not only is its sound immersive, it's accurate too. Its mapping of different effects is pinpoint and is has excellent directionality. It will do a great job with the fast-paced action of a World Cup game and the feeling of crowd's ambiance exploding out of the soundbar and into the space all around the TV.

The Q800F also supports Wi-Fi music streaming and supports 4K 120Hz gaming in its HDMI in ports. And, it does all this for a fairly reasonable price too, costing $799 / £599 / AU$799. While that is getting to the pricier side of the soundbar market, it's worth every penny.

Setup 4: The elite OLED & surround experience

TV: Samsung S95F

The Samsung S95F was one of 2025's best OLED TVs. It delivers excellent picture quality, with vibrant, bold colors and strong contrast, as well as crisp textures and refined detail. It's also fully stocked for gaming with four HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4K 165Hz, full VRR including G-Sync, ALLM and HDR10+ gaming.

What sets the S95F apart from other OLEDs is its anti-reflection screen. A matte coating means mirror-like reflections are reduced to haze, making it a fantastic OLED for bright room viewing. With this TV, you'll get to watch daytime sports with OLED's color, detail and perfect viewing angles without worrying about reflections. While mini-LED is our typical recommendation for sports, this OLED changes the game.

However, as a flagship OLED, the S95F is in the premium price bracket. A 65-inch model costs $2,499 / £2,299 / AU$3,799 which is pricey, but if you're after an elite World Cup experience, then this OLED TV should definitely be on your list.

Soundbar: Samsung HW-Q990F

The Samsung HW-Q990F is a multi-box soundbar system that delivers serious power across 11.1.4 channels. It's sound is expansive and precise, creating a real Dolby Atmos experience at home thanks to its two rear speakers and subwoofer.

The subwoofer is a new, compact size but thankfully, none of the hefty, detailed bass has disappeared. The dual-driver sub delivers raw power which works wonders for movies. The rear speakers are excellent at delivering surround effects and the soundbar itself delivers clear speech, punchy audio and excellent separation.

If you're looking for a soundbar to capture the stadium atmosphere of the World Cup, this is it. This level of performance comes at a price though. At $1,599 / £999 / AU$1,399, this is a premium soundbar.

But for the performance and features it brings, including hi-res audio and Wi-Fi streaming support as well as 4K 120Hz passthrough for gaming, the Q990F is worth the investment if you have the budget.

• Denon unveils new X2900H and X3900H AV receivers
• Both have new audio architecture for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X sound
• X2900H is 7.2 channels; X3900H is 9.4 channels

Denon has unveiled two new AV receivers, including an update to one of the most popular bang-for-buck models around — and it's a pretty strong upgrade based on my early impressions from a demo session.

The new models are the Denon AVR-X2900H and the AVR-X3900H, and they're similar in a lot of ways, with the X3900H promising more "scalability" and "flexibility" over its little sibling.

They replace the X2800H and X3800H respectively, and Denon says they've been updated internally to improve the sound, including sharing a new 32-bit DAC system designed to deliver "improved imaging, clearer high-frequency detail and more confident low-frequency energy across every channel."

Both receivers support Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, and include Dirac Live and Audyssey support for sound correction. They both have six HDMI inputs and multiple HDMI outputs, with support for 4K 120Hz passthrough with Dolby Vision HDR (and 8K video at 60Hz). New this year is support for 1440p and AMD FreeSync passthrough, which is nice for PC gamers.

They also have Denon's HEOS wireless platform on board for music streaming over Wi-Fi, with support for major streaming platforms to play in hi-res — plus Bluetooth connectivity.

The differences come in just how elaborately all this is implemented. The X2900H supports 7.2 channels of sound at up to 95W (at 8 ohms) per channel, while the X3900H supports 9.4 channels at up to 105W (at 8 ohms) per channel.

The pricier X300H includes Auro 3D and IMAX Enhanced support as well as the two standard spatial formats, and offers more Dirac tools as optional extras. The X2900H offers two HDMI outs (one of which is eARC), while the X3900H has three HDMI outs (again one eARC).

The extra channels of the X3900H obviously require a load more speaker connections on the back, but the X3900H also includes more RCA inputs, including an MM phono input, and more pre-amp outputs.

Both models launch today, May 14. The Denon AVR-X2900H costs $1,349 / £899 (about AU$1,680), while the Denon AVR-X3900H costs $1,849 / £1,299 (about AU$2,430).

So, you've got the run-down on what they can do — but how do they sound? Happily, I got to hear them before their launch.

What are the Denon X2900H and X3900H like in action?

Denon's listening room at its Kawasaki office — used by its current Sound Master, Shinichi Yamauchi, to refine and provide feedback on the performance of its products — provided the setting for an all-too-brief demo of the new AVR models.

They were connected to the room's array of Bowers & Wilkins 801 speakers, which are probably a little more hardcore (at $55k / £34k per pair) than most people will connect to these amps, but at least I could be sure that the speakers weren't going to impose any kind of limitation on what I was hearing.

First, Denon gave me a demo comparing the existing X2800H AVR with the new X2900H that replaces it, showing a scene from Dune in the ornithopter (a word I'm now able to spell first time consistently, thanks to how frequently scenes featuring it in appear home theater demos).

This was a 5.2.2-channel demo in Dolby Atmos, maxing out the X2900H's 7.2-channel capacity with the five surround channels plus the two height channels, and then two subwoofers.

The key theme here is that small changes add up to a clear improvement. The dialogue clarity is a little stronger, standing out slightly more prominently from the beating wings of the ornithopter while still feeling natural.

The spatial effect of the surround channels is a little stronger as well, feeling like there's a touch more dynamic range and expansiveness to envelop you in what's around you.

The bass transients and low-end power also feel — say it with me — a little stronger. There's an extra step of liveliness and control to bass impacts that make them feel more tactile

Adding together multiple elements that are a little stronger, though, creates a whole that feels bigger, meatier and more complete. The upgrade from the X2800H to the X2900H isn't game-changing, but it's weighty.

After that, we got a comparison of the new step-up X3900H against the X2900H. The demo was Hans Zimmer & Friends: Diamond in the Desert, which is a movie score concert film (but sounds like an animated movie where Hans and his team solve a Scooby-Doo-like mystery).

The X2900H played through the same speaker setup as above, but when we switched to the X3900H we added a couple of extra surround channels, taking us to 7.2.2 channels, in Dolby Atmos.

Interestingly, though, in the section of the Inception medley that Denon demoed for us, I couldn't hear as much difference between these two AVRs as I could between the X2800H and the X2900H, even though in this case two extra speakers were being added.

It may have been partly to do with the arrangement of the song just not taking that much advantage of the extra channels, but in general I'd say I didn't feel much of a difference in the expression and clarity of the instruments.

It's obviously very possible that further reviewing with more scenes will reveal more nuance, so I'll have to reserve full judgment on the X3900H — but obviously, at the very least, even if its performance turns out to be very similar to the X2900H, it still provides more channels and higher power output for speakers that really benefit from it, so may be worth the upgrade anyway.

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May is looking to be an exciting month for 4K Blu-rays, with major releases including arguably one of my most anticipated discs to date. While the list of May’s releases looks to be extensive, I’ve narrowed it down to four.

We’re big fans of 4K Blu-ray at TechRadar. It’s the best source for testing the best TVs, due to 4K Blu-ray’s higher bitrate for better picture quality, and best soundbars, as soundtracks are uncompressed, meaning you’re getting full-fat Dolby Atmos and DTS.

I’m hoping to get my hands on these discs to feature in our monthly feature, the Blu-ray Bounty, where we test the latest 4K releases from each month that we think will make for a good showcase for your home theater system.

In last month’s most anticipated 4K list (April 2026), I picked Gilda, Hamnet, Marty Supreme and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple and all four were featured in the April 2026 Blu-ray Bounty and, spoiler, they all looked great!

As I’m based in the UK, the following picks are based on UK 4K releases, so don’t be surprised if your pick is missing!

Fight Club (20th Century Studios)

Instantly quotable and one of the best movies of the 90s, Fight Club tells the story of an unnamed narrator (Edward Norton) who befriends a soap salesman named Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), and together they start an underground ‘fight club’. The movie also stars Helena Bonham Carter and Meat Loaf. Easily one of my most anticipated discs ever.

Fight Club is a visually striking movie. While a lot of its scenes have a grimy, murky look, these dark scenes make for an excellent contrast test, with plenty of black tones. I use this movie as one of my SDR tests, as on Disney+ it’s only in HD. I’m excited to see what it will look like in all its gruesome detail in 4K, and I’ve got high hopes after how good another of Fincher’s iconic movies, Se7en, looked when it came to 4K for the first time last year. While there’s talk of no Dolby Vision included, that didn’t stop Se7en from looking great.

There are plenty of audio moments in Fight Club that sound realistic and brutal, not limited to the numerous fight scenes in the club itself. With a solid soundtrack, be that Dolby Atmos or DTS, these scenes could be really impactful and be a perfect way to test the meatiness of your chosen sound system.

Release Dates

US: May 12, 2026

UK: 18th May, 2026

Some Like It Hot (Altitude Films)

Some Like It Hot is the legendary comedy featuring Marilyn Monroe as ‘Sugar’ Kane, a traveling musician who is unaware that two of her fellow band members in her all-female band are men (played by Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon) on the run from the mob. A classic comedy, it was nominated for multiple Academy Awards. It’s worth noting this isn’t the 4K Criterion release available in the US, but rather a new version from Altitude.

I’ve been a believer in what 4K can do for classic movies for some time now, and that only seems to grow every month. Black-and-white movies like Double Indemnity, Sunset Boulevard, and 3:10 To Yuma (1957) have looked incredible, and I have high hopes for Some Like It Hot, too. While I’m disappointed it’s not the Criterion release, I’m still hopeful to see this iconic movie revived.

As with a good number of these older releases, I’m not expecting a new, mind-blowing sound mix here, but Some Like It Hot has plenty of musical sections with classic songs like the titular track and ‘I Wanna Be Loved By You’, both elegantly sung by Monroe.

Release Dates

UK: 18th May, 2026

US: N/A, Criterion version released April 8, 2026

Leaving Las Vegas (Studio Canal)

Leaving Las Vegas is the story of Ben Sanderson (Nicholas Cage), a struggling alcoholic who develops a relationship with a prostitute named Sera (Elisabeth Shue). The movie earned Cage the Academy Award for Best Actor, as well as an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for Shue.

Interestingly, Leaving Las Vegas was shot on 16mm film, as opposed to the more mainstream 35mm. While I’m not expecting blockbuster visuals for this modestly-budgeted movie (approx $4 million), there are plenty of scenes showcasing the gaudy neon glow of Las Vegas that should make for some interesting visuals.

I’m not expecting any blockbuster moments from Leaving Las Vegas audibly, but it does have an interesting score and some licensed songs from Sting, including ‘Angel Eyes’, that with the right sound mix will hopefully complement the picture.

Release Dates

UK: 18th May, 2026

US: N/A — Shout Factory released December 16, 2025

“Wuthering Heights” (2026) (Warner Bros.)

A loose adaptation of Emily Brontë’s novel, Jacob Elordi stars as Heathcliff and Margot Robbie as Cathy in Emerald Fennell’s (Saltburn, Promising Young Woman) take on the classic period romance/drama. Fennel intended this version to "recreate the feeling of a teenage girl reading this book for the first time" (quote from a Vogue interview on YouTube).

While the film itself may be incredibly divisive, visually, it has plenty of moments that should look stunning on 4K. There are plenty of vivid, vibrant colors that explode on screen, along with breathtaking shots of the surrounding moors. There’s also plenty of stylized, contrast-rich shots that should make for a real showcase on a home theater system. And with Dolby Vision supported, “Wuthering Heights” should look excellent.

Audio-wise, the main talking point is Charlie XCX’s soundtrack. Thankfully, there’s a Dolby Atmos mix included, so it should deliver this soundtrack with real clarity and immersion. The pulse-pounding, big electronic sound XCX has become known for is a highlight, so it’s sure to sound great on a big sound system.

Release dates

US: May 5, 2026

UK: 11th May, 2026

Highlighted releases May 2026

Below is a list of highlight releases for May 2026. Both US and UK release dates are featured here (these are indicated). Release dates may vary by region, with some coming later in the year or already released. Titles featured in my list above are in bold.

May 4 / 5

• Alice in Wonderland (1951)
• Blue Thunder
• “Wuthering Heights” (2026) (UK release 11th May)
• GOAT
• Point Blank (US release date April 21 2026)

May 11/12

• Fight Club (UK release 18th May)
• Mona Lisa (UK)
• Moneyball (US, UK release TBC)
• Bridesmaids

May 18/19

• Leaving Las Vegas (UK)
• Speed Racer (US, UK release 15th June)
• Avatar: Fire and Ash (US, UK release 1st June)
• Boy Heat
• The Walk
• The Bride!
• Some Like It Hot (UK)
• Witness (UK)
• The Dollars Trilogy (UK, Arrow Video)

May 25/26

• Robin Hood: Price of Thieves (US, UK release March 2023)
• Harry and the Hendersons
• The Great Outdoors
• Lenny
• Sirat
• Zulu Dawn
• The Cars That Ate Paris
• Insomnia (1997 original)

Welcome to the April 2026 edition of the Blu-ray Bounty, where we check out the latest 4K Blu-ray releases from each month, assessing their picture and audio to see if they make a worthwhile addition to your 4K Blu-ray collection. This month is our largest list to date, with a whopping 8 discs.

If you want to check out previous editions of the Blu-ray Bounty for some disc recommendations, they can be found at the link. In last month’s March 2026 Blu-ray Bounty, I tested 6 discs: Wicked: For Good, The Running Man (2025), 3:10 To Yuma (1957), The Breakfast Club, The Man Who Wasn’t There, and Cutter’s Way.

We’re big fans of 4K Blu-ray here at TechRadar. It’s our go-to source for testing the best TVs and best soundbars, because it has excellent picture quality due to its high bitrate and uncompressed soundtracks. We’re also collectors ourselves!

I’ll be using our reference setup for this month’s edition, consisting of the LG G5, one of 2025’s best OLED TVs; the Panasonic DP-UB820 4K Blu-ray player, the best 4K Blu-ray player on the market; and the Samsung HW-Q990C, an 11.1.4 channel, Dolby Atmos soundbar system.

I won’t be analyzing the movies of these discs themselves: only their picture and audio to see how much they’ll show off your home theater setup.

Ben-Hur (1959) (Warner Bros.)

One of Hollywood’s most iconic epics, Ben-Hur stars Charlton Heston as the titular Judah Ben-Hur, a former Jewish prince condemned to slavery after he is accused of treason. The story follows his quest for freedom and revenge on those who betrayed him. At the time of production, it was the largest-scale movie ever released, costing roughly $15 million ($170 million today).

Much like Lawrence of Arabia 4K from the February 2026 Blu-ray Bounty, Ben-Hur is a staggering 4K Blu-ray. The restoration here upscales textures to an almost modern-day look, with accurate, lifelike skin tones and refined details such as rocks, grass, and buildings throughout. Colors are rich and vibrant: from the reds of the Roman soldiers' capes to the glorious blue sky, every color pops on screen.

There’s some nice brightness to this disc, too. Soldiers' gold uniforms gleam in the sunlight, and the sand-colored buildings of Jerusalem dazzle without ever over-exerting the brightness. Even the movie’s darker scenes display rich blacks with powerful contrast. As the slaves row the ship, the dark tones of the walls contrast with the light from the torches beautifully.

Ben-Hur has received a serious audio upgrade as well as a visual one. The Dolby Atmos soundtrack does wonders for the bombastic and mighty horn-led score, which sounds clean, refined, and powerful. Surround channels come into play frequently, such as the hustle and bustle of the markets in Jerusalem or during the chariot races in the latter parts of the movies, with galloping hooves and the roaring crowd delivered with real precision. The hooves also make for a great workout for your subwoofer.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (Sony Pictures)

The fourth installment in the 28 Days Later franchise, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, is a direct sequel to 28 Years Later and follows Spike (Alfie Williams) as he is indoctrinated into the cult of Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell). Ralph Fiennes returns as Dr. Ian Kelson.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is a visual feast for the eyes. In daytime scenes, as characters walk through nature, colors like the bold, red flowers and lush green trees have some serious pop. Textures are 3D-like in appearance, with all the dirt, blood, and scars on Kelson’s body looking incredibly detailed and realistic. Highlights have some serious shine to them too, with Crystal’s gaudy gold chains looking suitably vibrant.

Night scenes look superb too. Blacks are consistently deep throughout and looked great on the G5 during my testing. Contrast is powerful, with any scenes involving fire balancing beautifully with the rich, black surroundings. Again, fire really showed off the punchy brightness in peak areas too.

Equipped with a Dolby Atmos soundtrack, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is a showcase for speakers. Moments of violence sound gruesome, with every hit, stab, and puncture given a skin-crawlingly realistic level of detail. The Atmos soundtrack is utilized well. As projectiles were fired during the barn scene, they seemed to come from all directions where I was sitting. Speech is crystal clear throughout, and don’t worry, Kelson’s pyre scene (which we won’t spoil) sounds excellent.

Hamnet (Universal Pictures)

Hamnet dramatization of playwright William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and his wife, Agnes Hathaway (Jessie Buckley), as they deal with the death of their son Hamnet. Nominated for multiple awards, Buckley earned an Academy Award for her portrayal of Hathaway.

A gorgeous-looking disc, especially in Dolby Vision, Hamnet delivers some lovely visuals. Colors have some nice punch, such as Hathaway’s red/orange dress at the start of the movie, but also appear true-to-life, with the greens of the countryside around Shakespeare’s home, looking great. Textures are strikingly realistic, with close-up shots of people’s faces showing freckles, stubble, and aging lines with impeccable detail.

Darker scenes look great too. As the family eats dinner at night, the black surroundings are deep and balance nicely with the flame of the candles on the table, creating a strong contrast and casting strong shadows.

Hamnet has a Dolby Atmos soundtrack and makes use of it. The score throughout sounds excellent, with the opening choral track filling our testing lab nicely, and the melancholic strings sounded refined throughout. Dialogue is consistently clear, and there are some good Atmos scenes, with scenes in the forest featuring birds flying overhead utilizing height channels.

Marty Supreme (A24)

Marty Supreme is the story of Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet), a table tennis player in the 1950s who vies to become world champion. The character of Mauser is loosely based on real-life US table tennis player Marty Reisman.

Marty Supreme looks great in 4K. The movie’s table tennis tournament scenes demonstrate strong contrast between the lit-up tables and players and the crowds, who are encased in deep shadows. Colors can also look rich, whether it’s the bright red of the paddles or the sometimes bold 1950s aesthetic, namely loud-looking greens and pinks. Textures look both crisp and true-to-life, with stubble, wrinkles, and hair looking refined.

This disc’s Dolby Atmos soundtrack has plenty of fantastic moments. Any scenes involving ping-pong are accurately mapped, with a strong connection between the sound and the action on screen and pinpoint directionality. One scene where Marty plays in a bar delivered great surround sound, with the rattle of ping pongs coming from the rear speakers as Wally (Tyler, The Creator) talks to another patron. The movie also features notable tracks from the 1980s, such as Alphaville's ‘Forever Young’, and all of these sound authentic and engaging.

Gilda (The Criterion Collection)

Another iconic movie of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Gilda follows the story of Johnny Farrell (Glenn Ford), a card counter who begins to work for casino owner Ballin Mundson (George Macready). Mundson returns from a trip abroad with a new wife, Gilda (Rita Hayworth), whom Farrell recognizes from his past. This movie was a star-making turn for Hayworth.

Gilda is yet another home-run restoration from Criterion Collection. Textures have been cleaned up beautifully to look more refined and crisp, which is especially apparent in people’s skin. Contrast is great with deep dark tones and bright white tones and there’s a great range of gray tones in between. Cinephiles will be happy with the level of grain included, but make no mistake, this is a very clean 4K restoration that looks top-notch.

This disc only supports a monaural soundtrack, but dialogue is crystal clear throughout, and sound is accurately mapped. Shattering glass, bullets, and the hubbub of the casino all sound great. Musical sections also sound very good with a nice balance and strong detail. Not a showcase soundtrack for a home theater system, but very well cleaned up.

Crime Story (88 Films)

Crime Story is an action-thriller starring Jackie Chan as Police Inspector Eddie Chan, who is tasked with finding missing businessman Wong Yat-fei. His journey takes him from Hong Kong to Taiwan, where he encounters powerful mobsters. The film is based on the real events surrounding the kidnapping of businessman Teddy Wang in 1990.

This 4K restoration from 88 Films is excellent. The picture has been cleaned up to deliver crisp textures that appear lifelike throughout. There’s a nice mix of scenes to show off all aspects of a display, from the punchy colors of the neon-clad Taipei markets to the shady, shadowed rooms where gangsters hang out, which deliver a strong contrast with deep black tones. Film grain fans also need not worry, as there’s a healthy amount maintained as well.

There are both Stereo 2.0 LCPM and DTS-HD 5.1 soundtracks on offer here in both the original Cantonese and suitably overacted, cheesy English dub. I opted for the Cantonese 5.1, and as you’d expect from an action-packed Jackie Chan movie, there’s a lot going on. Explosions and gunfire deliver plenty of meaty bass with serious impact, and ricocheting bullets are accurately mapped to a nice, wide soundstage. Dialogue is very front-end in the 5.1 mix, sometimes at the expense of other elements, but it’s always clear.

The Devil's Backbone (Studio Canal)

Directed by Guillermo del Toro, The Devil’s Backbone is a Spanish gothic horror movie that follows the story of a boy who finds himself in an abandoned orphanage at the end of the Spanish Civil War. The orphanage is haunted by a recently deceased boy.

The picture quality of this restoration from Studio Canal is fantastic. Daytime scenes have a stunning brightness to them, with accurate color reproduction of the beige sands of the desert surrounding the orphanage, while instances of red really pop on screen. Night sequences have excellent black depth, balancing well with the light from the moon or candles as they creep into the darkness.

There are both DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 LPCM sound mixes. I used the DTS-HD 5.1, and it’s brilliant. Everything sounds natural, especially the dialogue. The score is consistently strong and presented with real clarity, particularly during the movie’s more eerie scenes, accurately delivering the chill factor. Moments of impact, such as punches and door slams, deliver deep, engaging bass. Overall, an excellent sound mix.

The Blade (The Criterion Collection)

A wuxia movie (a genre based around the adventures of martial artists in ancient China), The Blade tells the story of Ding On (Vincent Zhao),a factory worker who learns martial arts to seek revenge on his father’s killer.

The Blade’s picture looks stunning and is yet another awesome job by Criterion. Colors are bold and vibrant throughout, but also appear natural. This can be seen in the movie’s many fight scenes, where different color filters are used to create striking, dynamic images, and other colors, such as blood and costumes, pop. There are a good number of high contrast scenes where the light from torches balances well with the rich black tones. Textures have also been refined, with skin tones and textures in particular looking very natural.

This disc only supports a monaural soundtrack (both in the original Cantonese and a dubbed English track), but it delivers clear dialogue that’s well balanced with other effects. The movie’s many fight scenes have plenty of impact and accuracy, with the clashing of metal blades in particular sounding satisfying punchy.

• Fyne Audio launches new range of home theater speakers from £950 / $1,300
• High SPL drivers and sub designed to "visually disappear"
• Made with large setups and professional installation in mind

Fyne Audio, a much-revered Scots maker of high-end hi-fi, has expanded its home theater line-up with three new models: two new monitors and a subwoofer.

They're designed to be heard and not seen, with high SPL levels, "reference" sound quality and a design made to "visually disappear"… although given that they're big black boxes, you'll need to put them behind a fabric panel or projector screen or something to actually achieve this.

Here is Fyne Audio's depiction of a home theater that uses them. Don't waste your time Where's Wally-ing, it's just an image of a home theater without any visible speakers. They're so well hidden!

The three models are the eight-inch F708TM, the 12-inch F712TM, and the 12-inch F7-12TM subwoofer. Yes, that's an exceptionally confusing way to name the last two, but here we are.

All three are intended for professional installation (although there's nothing to stop you doing it yourself) in the kind of home theater setup that sadly I can only dream of.

Although they're made, tested and finished by hand in Glasgow these speakers won't launch first in Scotland or the wider UK; they'll be available in India in July or August 2026 (debuting at the Smart Home Expo 2026 in Mumbai), before rolling out elsewhere shortly afterwards.

What's so Fyne about these home cinema speakers?

The three models pack a punch: the smaller F708TM's IsoFlare driver puts out a peak of 117dB, while the considerably bigger F712TM delivers a peak of 126dB. The F7-12TM Sub peaks at 126dB.

The monitor models can be installed in portrait or landscape orientation and feature M10 threaded flying points for suspension as well as rear-mounted VESA-compatible M8 inserts for wall mounting.

There's integrated rear cable management for flush fitting, and Fyne says that the cabinet geometry and fixing architecture have been developed with experienced installers and industry standards in mind.

As for that "visually disappear" bit: that's because the monitors and sub have been designed to be completely unobtrusive, and they're finished in a low-sheen black so they don't stand out even if you don't cover them.

Prices are still subject to change but are expected to be:

• F708TM: £950 / $1,300 / €1,100 (about AU$1,790)
• F712TM: £1,700 / $2,300 / €1,950 (about AU$3,205)
• F7-12TM: £1,250 / $1,700 / €1,450 (about AU$2,358)

Thinking of buying a new TV?

Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices.

For many of us, being able to watch movies and TV shows in the best possible quality at home is something we aim to achieve. Realistically, that will mean pairing one of the best TVs with one of the best soundbars. For the fortunate few, however, the possibility of having a dedicated home theater space, complete with rows of chairs, soundproofing and a cinema-like projection system is one that’s very real indeed (the rest of us are still able to drool over enviable custom install theaters, of course).

And nobody does custom home theater installations quite like David Moseley and his company, Wavetrain Cinemas. Based in Australia, Wavetrain Cinemas has the distinct recognition of being awarded Best Global Home Cinema on two separate occasions by CEDIA, the international trade association representing the professional home automation/smart home technology industry.

While it’s easy to just look at images of Wavetrain installations and think “I’d love to have something similar one day”, the more interesting question is how each space is actually designed to perform at such a high level. I was recently able to put some questions to David, and according to him, the answer starts with a framework rather than a product list.

Wavetrain is guided by CEDIA’s RP22 recommended practice for immersive audio design, which sets out key parameters including sound pressure level (SPL) capability, speaker coverage, seating geometry and overall system design. Within this structure, David has formed his own priorities that he believes make for the best home cinema install: seat-to-seat consistency, low distortion at reference levels and controlled decay times.

No more sweet spot

That first point is especially important. For Moseley, consistency means every listener should experience the same tonal balance, imaging and impact regardless of where they sit. I know for me, whenever I visit my local cinema, I do try to make sure I’m able to grab the centermost seat, as I feel it will give me the most immersive experience, particularly where sound is concerned, as all the speakers will be firing into the room’s central position. For each seat in a smaller cinema to receive the same level of performance is no easy task.

For Wavetrain, it is that goal which drives choices around speaker selection, placement and room geometry. The second priority is effortless dynamics — the ability to reach reference-level SPL without distortion or strain. The third is time-domain performance, particularly decay times, so that the room preserves detail, clarity and spatial cues instead of delivering a sound that’s entirely muddied.

David admits it’s not always as easy as just running some software to give accurate calculations. He says that “every cinema design involves compromise, and that inexperienced designers often get stuck trying to make a theory-driven layout work even when it doesn’t sound right in the room.” David takes a different approach to compromises, if they’re to be made at all. “We never allow a design decision that results in a compromise the client can actually hear”, he says.

His installations are never rushed either, as you might expect, and instead he and his team will spend a lot of time upfront with clients — often three or four hours — to explain the technology options, the expectations and the consequences of different choices before a single decision is locked in.

It’s not the size that counts, it’s how you use it

For David, the majority of a cinema installation’s design process relates to the room itself and how its acoustic properties will affect the resulting performance. Indeed, the company’s primary metric is “reverberation time across the full audible range.”

If you’re reading that line and not really understanding what David means, he explains it quite clearly when he says, “You can hear this in everyday life, your voice changes as you move from one room to another.”

“A cinema is no different. Every sound is shaped by the space it exists in.”

And finding the perfect sound for any room isn’t dictated solely by numbers, “This is where acoustics moves beyond pure science and becomes an art form”, says David.

"There are simply too many variables for it to be automated effectively. Measurement data must be interpreted by someone who understands both the physics and how we perceive sound.”

Good acoustics may be invisible, but they are what make the difference between a system that merely measures well and one that truly feels right to listen to. As he puts it, "nothing can replace good room design."

Effective home upgrades

If you’re in the process of completing your own custom install, or you have plans for the future, and if you’re working with a limited budget, that philosophy has practical implications too. Moseley argues that the highest-impact improvements are often the simplest ones, “move seating away from walls to improve bass consistency”, he says.

Other simple adjustments can include adding basic acoustic treatment to improve dialogue clarity, while also eliminating rattles and unwanted noises, and sitting closer to the screen and speakers so the system doesn’t have to work as hard, which can also have positive effects. He also notes that there is always a performance “sweet spot”, beyond which gains become disproportionately expensive. In other words, the smartest upgrade is not always the most expensive one.

For the rest of us with more conventional living room setups, there are still things you can do to maximize performance. While a TV and soundbar combo won’t match the isolation of a dedicated home cinema, the underlying principles don’t change. As David explains, “CEDIA RP22 is a recommended practice for immersive audio, not just dedicated cinemas, so the same standards apply to any multi-channel system in any space.”

There are extra challenges of course, in layout, materials and sound isolation, but David says with the “right approach to acoustic treatment, system design, and integration, a living space can still deliver exceptional performance.”

“In many cases, acoustics can be seamlessly integrated into the design through elements like curtains, rugs, joinery and furniture, rather than being visually obvious.”

Elementi, my dear movie lover

That is also where Elementi, Wavetrain’s speaker brand, comes into the picture. Moseley positions it as a bridge between premium hi-fi and commercial cinema systems, but with a more refined approach. He says that “most high-end hi-fi speakers are designed for nearfield listening, typically within one to two and a half meters, and many will struggle to maintain performance beyond three meters.”

Conversely, he adds that commercial cinema speakers are designed to meet specific SPL requirements set by organizations such as Dolby. Elementi speakers have been designed to “bridge this gap”.

That means they’re built to be able to sustain high output continuously, while keeping distortion to an absolute minimum, and doing so through a fully active design with dedicated amplification for each component.

Going down an active route has multiple benefits, and David says that one of the biggest is that it “reduces impedance-related losses and eliminates many of the issues associated with long speaker cable runs, which in home cinemas can often exceed 10–30 meters.”

Location, location, location

With regard to speakers, I asked David which had greater impact, the speaker itself or how it’s integrated into the room. He said, “both matter, but integration has the greater impact.”

“A speaker must be fundamentally suited to its intended application, but even the best speaker will underperform if it’s poorly positioned or placed in an inadequately designed room.”

If you’ve ever listened to a traditional 2.0 hi-fi speaker setup and moved yourself around the room, you would have noticed that the overall sound can change. This is due to the way soundwaves are delivered into the room, and how they’re picked up by your ears. It’s a similar story for home cinema setups, “Speaker placement directly affects the soundstage”, says David.

“Small errors can have significant consequences. And while some of this may sound obvious, in practice we still see it done incorrectly far too often.”

He adds that when he’s inspecting a client’s current space, “we regularly come across ceiling speakers aimed straight at the floor rather than the listener, front wide speakers firing across the room instead of into the seating area, or surround speakers positioned in ways that completely confuse spatial perception.”

And don’t think that subwoofers can get away with being placed anywhere in the room, as David argues that “low-frequency performance is also heavily influenced by placement.”

“The goal of a well-engineered system is to allow the listener to experience the full capability of the speakers they’ve invested in. That comes down to three things, in order: room design, speaker positioning and finally calibration.”

Source it to me

Moseley is equally focused on the quality of the source material feeding the system. He places strong emphasis on low-jitter digital playback, arguing that jitter introduced in the digital domain ultimately becomes noise after conversion. In his view, those small imperfections add up, especially in systems built to the highest standard. That is one reason Kaleidescape has become so common in Wavetrain projects — it offers exceptional build quality, low jitter and a large 4K library with lower compression than UHD discs in many cases.

I’ve personally had some experience with Kaleidescape, having reviewed the Strato E 4K player last year. While I was aware of the potential visual and audible benefits it would bring compared not only to streaming services, but 4K Blu-ray discs too, I wasn’t sure just how much of a difference there would be.

Sound was perhaps the biggest differentiator, and I felt I was able to unlock even more potential, even from my humble Sonos home theater setup. I can only imagine the level of performance achievable in a dedicated space such as a Wavetrain cinema.

“For us, performance begins with a clean, stable signal”, says David.

“Kaleidescape’s exceptional build quality is a key reason it measures as the lowest-jitter source currently available. Combined with the largest 4K media library — often with lower compression than UHD discs — it becomes an ideal media source. It’s no surprise that nearly every cinema we’ve delivered over the past five years has included Kaleidescape.”

If a custom home theater installation is something that you'd be interested in, then be sure to read David's in-depth guide to designing the ultimate home cinema.

• The JMGO N3 Ultimate is available to order, with an early price of $2,399 (about £1,777 / AU$3,354)
• 4K, Dolby Vision HDR and up to 5,800 ISO lumens
• Triple-laser system with emphasis on optical adjustment

JMGO's new 4K projector comes with what the brand says is the "world's first" 3-in-1 integrated optical system. The N3 Ultimate combines four-way lens shift, wide range optical zoom and a smart gimbal in a single system that promises better visual performance even when projector placement isn't perfect.

The N3 Ultimate is bright, too, with an output of up to 5,800 ISO lumens. That's exceptionally bright, and more than double the brightness of our current favorite home theater projector, the Epson Pro Cinema LS9000.

As we've come to expect from the brand there's a big discount for early bird buyers. The full price is $2,999 (about £2,222 / AU$4,192), but until 13 May 2026 that's discounted to $2,399 (about £1,777 / AU$3,354).

JMGO N3 Ultimate: key features

"Almost every projector ends up being placed off-center" in real-world use, JMGO says, and as a result the N3 Ultimate has been designed to prioritize optical adjustment rather than digital keystone correction in order to deliver the highest possible resolution and brightness.

The N3 Ultimate also has a memory function that enables you to recall different settings for different walls: the preferred screen size, the image optimization settings and the appropriate app. Switching is a one-click process.

The projector is powered by JMGO's MALC 5.0 triple laser, which has 5,800 ISO lumen output, a color accuracy delta-E of just 0.7 (meaning it's essentially perfect to the human eye) and 110% coverage of the BT.2020 color gamut. There's 4K resolution, Dolby Vision HDR, and the projector also supports Dolby Audio.

For gamers and sports fans there's a low latency of 1ms and a refresh rate of up to 240Hz with support for variable refresh rate.

It's an impressive spec, but the N3 Ultimate is up against some fierce rivals including our current budget pick of the best projectors, the BenQ GP520. It too delivers 4K, and while it delivers around half the brightness of the N3 Ultimate, it's also less than half the price.

• The Deus Audio Invicta 60 is "the largest infrasonic subwoofer ever built"
• It has a 60-inch driver, and handles 10,000W / 20,000W peak of power, hitting as low as 8Hz
• At $170,000 (about £125,640 / AU$237,238), it's intended for high-end pro audio installations

Deus Audio appears to have created the subwoofer version of the giant speaker from Back to the Future that's so loud it throws Marty McFly across Doc's lab – though as a sub I'd be worried about this thing moving so much air that it might launch you into space or make your house implode.

The Invicta 60 is capable of putting out 20,000 watts of peak power through a 60-inch driver, delivering a low end that can reach under 8Hz, making it a sub that reaches deeper than an actual submarine.

If you're immersed in high-end audio you can become pretty blasé about spec sheets and price tags; this is a sector of hilariously priced HDMI cables and home theaters that cost more than homes. But I still gasped at the power of this sub, and at its price tag: the list price is $170,000 (about £125,640 / AU$237,238).

The good people of r/hometheater reckon it's "ridiculous" and in addition to having some fun with the idea of such an overpowered sub they point out that a similarly powerful speaker made by Mitsubishi in the 1980s meant that "people 2km away felt rumbling sensations."

There's no doubt that this is a sub you'll feel in your bones, even if you're nowhere near it.

Deus Invicta 60: key features

Deus Audio Machines says that the Invicta 60 "is not an evolution of subwoofer design — it is a complete rethinking of what’s possible in infrasonic reproduction."

It features a custom 60-inch driver, Deus' own MASS Drive motor system, a 20kW Class D amp with thermal and power monitoring, a dual voice coil design, and a customizable enclosure with optional weather sealing.

This isn't a speaker you can take home in the trunk: its shipping weight is 1,060lbs (481kg) and it comes in a crate roughly six by six by three feet. Unboxed it's 29.49 x 70.39 x 70.39 inches (749 x 1788 x 1788 mm).

It's not something you can stick on an extension lead either. As Redditor PonyThug points out, at 240v a 20K sub is going to draw "83.3 amps. That’s more than some houses total."

You might worry that such a big driver would be fairly slow and unresponsive compared to smaller subs, but Deus says that the bass here is delivered with "surgical accuracy".

According to Deus the Invicta 60 is "the largest, cleanest, and most accurate infrasonic subwoofer ever built — a reference for cinemas, research facilities, and anyone who demands the impossible." It's ridiculous for sure, but like so many over-the-top things, I love that it exists.

• Dolby Atmos audio can now be broadcast freely over the air more broadly
• It will use ATSC 1.0 rather than 3.0 / NextGen TV
• A Mexican broadcaster will be the first to offer the tech

Something exciting is happening in Mexico for home theater fans. Dolby Laboratories and broadcaster TV Azteca have joined forces to bring Dolby Atmos to free-to-view broadcast TV — not streaming — and they're doing it over the widely available ATSC 1.0 standard.

That's significant because while the current US and Mexico standard for broadcasting 4K TV is NextGen TV, aka ATSC 3.0, support for version 3.0 is still pretty patchy.

ATSC 1.0 tops out at 1080p HD for visual resolution, but it's been around since 1996 so it's much more widely supported than the newer version — and ATSC 3.0 devices are backwards compatible. That means Dolby Atmos over ATSC 1.0 should be available to a lot of people in the future, assuming it takes off.

For now this project is only happening in Mexico, but it raises some interesting possibilities elsewhere — and it suggests that there's still plenty of life in the free broadcasting model even in an age of streaming subscriptions.

What is Dolby Atmos doing over ATSC?

According to Pankaj Kedia, vice president of Americas, commercial partnerships at Dolby Laboratories, Atmos will be especially tempting for sporting events. "Imagine watching a game from your living room and hearing where every cheer in the stands comes from, the sound of the ball, and the voice of the commentator moving around you. That is what Dolby Atmos makes possible today in Mexico.”

That's obviously nothing new for sports if you want over a more premium cable or streaming service, but a lot of people haven't had access to these. Although I'm not 100% sure I want the commentary "moving around" me…

TV Azteca's chief technical officer Pedro Manuel Carmona Ortiz says the collaboration is a "technological milestone... We are collaborating with Dolby to demonstrate that innovation in audio can transform free-to-air television."

That innovation could be used by broadcasters in other territories too. ATSC 1.0 is widely used in the US, Canada and Mexico, and its intended replacement by ATSC 3.0 has been moved back several times.

Current proposals in the US suggest sunsetting ATSC 1.0 from 2028 to 2030 but those are based on broadcasters doing so voluntarily. Earlier this year, America's Public Television Stations (APTS) and PBS wrote to the FCC asking the regulator not to set a firm date for ending ATSC 1.0 broadcasting; other broadcasters are urging the FCC to do exactly that to boost adoption of ATSC 3.0.

On top of that, ATSC 3.0 is still hit and miss in even the best TVs. LG actually stopped including ATSC 3.0, while Samsung has also stopped (having only included them in limited models in the past).

Improving a 30-year-old broadcast standard may seem strange when most of the free-to-view hype has focused on streaming rather than broadcast TV thanks to the fast-growing free-TV services from the likes of Roku, Google TV and, in the UK, Freely.

But internet speeds and service have never reached the reliability of over-the-air broadcasts in many areas, so having an immersive audio upgrade delivered no matter your connection options is a win for everyone.

April has arrived, and that means a whole new group of 4K Blu-ray releases, and it’s looking like a real mix! Here at TechRadar, we not only use 4K Blu-ray to test the best TVs and best soundbars, but we’re collectors ourselves. Some of these very discs may find their way onto our shelves!

While it looks like there are tons of great discs coming in April, I’ve selected a few highlights that I’m hoping to feature in the Blu-ray Bounty, our monthly column where we test the latest 4K Blu-ray releases that we think will show off your home theater system: be that picture, audio, or hopefully, both!

In my March most anticipated 4K Blu-ray article, I picked 3: 10 To Yuma (1957), Wicked: For Good, The Breakfast Club, The Man Who Wasn’t There, and Ben-Hur. I got to test four of the five in the March 2026 Blu-ray Bounty, and they looked great. Ben-Hur was delayed in the UK until April 26th, so expect it in this month’s Blu-ray Bounty!

Below, I’ve picked four of my most anticipated discs for April 2026. As I’m based in the UK, these are based on UK 4K releases, so don’t be surprised if your favorite is missing!

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (Sony Pictures)

A direct sequel to 28 Years Later (the third movie in the 28 Days Later franchise), 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple picks up where its predecessor left off. Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) makes a groundbreaking discovery, while Spike (Alfie Williams) is indoctrinated into a cult led by ‘Sir Lord’ Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell).

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple has plenty of visually striking scenes, with strong contrast and bright, burning fires, that are sure to look great in 4K, especially with Dolby Vision HDR support. I’m expecting a clean, modern 4K presentation akin to other titles I’ve tested, such as Predator: Badlands.

An action-packed horror like this relies on its sound design, so it’s great news that the 4K disc for 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple comes with a Dolby Atmos soundtrack in tow. This will be great for delivering every visceral fight sequence, heart-pounding, eerie scene, and even the moments of calm in nature.

Release dates

US - April 21, 2026

UK - April 20, 2026

Marty Supreme (A24)

Marty Supreme tells the story of Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet), a table tennis player who vies to become world champion in the 1950s. Directed by Josh Safdie (of the Safdie Brothers, who directed Good Time and Uncut Gems), Marty Supreme was nominated for several Academy Awards in 2026.

The Safdie Brothers are often known for making excellent-looking movies, as anyone who has seen Good Time and Uncut Gems will attest, and Marty Supreme is no different. The 1950s aesthetic, both colorful and gritty, should look great on 4K, and table tennis sequences should be a good test for your display’s motion.

The 4K Blu-ray of Marty Supreme comes with a Dolby Atmos soundtrack, which will not only be great for delivering the movie’s soundtrack (filled with songs from both the 1950s and 1980s) but also for the movie’s ping pong sequences. I’m looking forward to putting this one through our reference Samsung HW-Q990C soundbar to really test that immersive Atmos feel.

Release dates

US - March 31, 2026

UK - April 6, 2026

Gilda (The Criterion Collection)

Gilda is a classic of Golden Age Cinema and is one of Rita Hayworth’s (who plays the titular Gilda) most famous roles. It tells the story of Johnny Farrell (Glenn Ford), a gambler who takes a job for a casino owner, only for issues to arise when he realizes the owner’s new wife is his ex-lover, Gilda (Hayworth).

It seems like every month I write about a new Criterion Collection 4K disc that brings new life to an older movie, be it 3:10 To Yuma, Captain Blood, Double Indemnity: I could go on. Gilda looks like it’s set to be the latest entry into this lineage, and I have every faith this movie is going to look excellent in 4K, especially with Dolby Vision HDR included.

The 4K disc of Gilda is only set to feature an LCPM mono soundtrack, but again, as I’ve experienced with a few Criterion Collection 4K discs, I’m expecting a refined soundtrack with clear speech and a clean score. There won’t be anything sound-system-worthy, but it should be great nonetheless.

Release dates

US - April 7, 2026

UK - April 27, 2026

Hamnet (Universal Pictures)

Hamnet tells the story of Agnes Hathaway (Jessie Buckley), wife to playwright William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal), who must deal with the tragic loss of their son Hamnet, an event that inspires Shakespeare to write Hamlet. Directed by Chloé Zhao, Hamnet won multiple awards, including Academy Awards for Zhao (Best Director), Buckley (Best Actress), and Best Picture.

Hamnet should look great on 4K Blu-ray. It has contrasting scenes that should really show off all areas of a display. From the lush natural forests with occasionally bold costumes to the grittier, dirtier streets of London, there should be plenty here to serve as a visual feast. Not least of all because Dolby Vision HDR is supported.

While this disc is unlikely to push your system to its limits like an action blockbuster would, the Hamnet 4K release does come with a Dolby Atmos soundtrack. Where I expect this to shine is during the scenes in the forests and nature. These can often be among the best types of scenes for really showing off a Dolby Atmos sound system, with more subtle sound effects.

Release date

US - March 3, 2026

UK - April 13, 2026

Highlighted releases - April 2026

Below is a list of highlighted releases for April 2026. Both US and UK releases are featured here (which are indicated). Release dates may vary by region, with some titles already released or some coming later in the year. The titles I’ve discussed above are highlighted in bold.

April 6/7

• Gilda (Criterion) (UK release, April 27)
• Mercy (2026) (UK release, April 20)
• Crime Story (UK)
• Marty Supreme (UK)

April 13/14

• Hamnet (UK)
• The Devil’s Backbone
• The Blade (Criterion) (UK)
• Mantrap (US release, April 24)
• The Phantom (1996)
• Monty Python: Life Of Brian
• Becoming Led Zeppelin: Collector’s Edition (UK release, April 27)
• Trouble In Paradise (1932) (Criterion) (UK release, April 20)

April 20/21

• 28 years Later: The Bone Temple
• Die My Love
• Sleepers
• Point Blank
• The Eye

April 27/28

• Moneyball
• Innerspace
• Throw Momma From The Train
• Dust Bunny
• Stardust
• The Protector (UK)

Welcome to the March 2026 edition of Blu-ray Bounty, where I’ll be testing the month's latest 4K releases (based on UK release dates) to see whether they make a worthy addition to your, hopefully, growing collection.

If this is your first visit to the Blu-ray Bounty, welcome, and go check out previous editions at the link. In last month’s packed February 2026 Blu-ray Bounty, I looked at eight discs: Lawrence of Arabia, Minority Report, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, Bugonia, Predator: Badlands, Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii MCMLXXII, Westworld (1973), and Dogma.

We love 4K Blu-ray here at TechRadar. It’s our staple source for testing the picture quality of the best TVs, as its higher bitrate means better picture quality than 4K streaming, and sound quality of the best soundbars, as 4K Blu-ray has uncompressed soundtracks.

I’ll be using our usual setup for testing this month’s discs. The LG G5, one of 2025’s best OLED TVs, will be the display, and the Panasonic DP-UB820, the best 4K Blu-ray player on the market, will be the player. The Samsung HW-Q990C, an 11.1.4 channel Dolby Atmos soundbar system, will be used for testing these discs’ soundtracks.

As always, I won’t be reviewing these discs based on the movies themselves: just their picture and audio quality and how they can be a good match for your home theater system.

Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)

The sequel to the blockbuster musical Wicked, Wicked: For Good, is the conclusion to the story of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), now known by Oz as the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda (Ariana Grande), now known as Glinda the Good Witch.

So colorful and vibrant was the original Wicked 4K Blu-ray that it became one of my regular discs for testing TVs. Visually, Wicked: For Good ticks all the same boxes as the original. From the multi-colored flowers outside Munchkinland to the greens of the Emerald City, colors are bold and vibrant, especially with Dolby Vision. They pack plenty of punch throughout, while looking both true-to-life and nicely saturated to suit the movie.

There are also plenty of high-contrast scenes throughout that will show off your display’s contrast, notably the ones where Elphaba sits in the woods, which are somehow always at sunset. This creates strong shadows with nice highlights that look great on the G5. Textures are crisp, and there’s plenty of refined detail throughout as well.

There’s plenty to like about the Dolby Atmos soundtrack, too. Musical numbers are delivered with plenty of scope, space and power, giving vocals and instruments equal room to breathe. But there’s plenty of non-musical elements to test your sound system too. Elphaba’s many broom flights are mapped wonderfully to a surround system, delivering a wide soundstage with plenty of height effects as she soars overhead. As she swoops by, there’s punchy bass too. This disc is an audio showcase as much as it is a visual one.

The Running Man (2025) (Paramount)

A remake of the 1987 original starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, The Running Man (2025) is adapted from Stephen King's novel of the same name. It follows Ben Richards (Glenn Powell) as he takes part in a deadly reality show. This version is directed by Edgar Wright (of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz fame).

The Running Man looks great visually. It has a slick presentation as expected from a modern movie with sharp and realistic textures, but I was surprised to see a good amount of film grain featured, giving the movie an interesting look. With the movie’s futuristic setting, there are some punchy colors via the neon signs and various monitors throughout. Night scenes also deliver strong contrast, with deep blacks mixed with bright lights that look great in Dolby Vision.

The movie’s Dolby Atmos soundtrack is consistently strong throughout, with bullets, punches and explosions all delivering meaty bass that’s also nicely controlled: perfect for showing off a subwoofer. It also uses every part of its soundstage during car chase sequences and gunfights, each effect delivered with detail and precision. Height channels are used to great effect, too, with the network’s drones and helicopters following Richards throughout the movie.

3:10 To Yuma (1957) (Criterion Collection)

A classic Western, 3:10 To Yuma (1957) tells the story of a rancher named Dan Evans (Van Heflin) who takes on a job to escort an outlaw named Ben Wade (Glenn Ford) to his trial in Yuma, Arizona. The movie was remade in 2007, starring Russell Crowe as Wade and Christian Bale as Evans.

I’ve praised what 4K restorations can do for older movies for some time now, and Criterion’s restoration of 3:10 To Yuma is no different: it’s superb. Textures have been beautifully cleaned up – every weather-beaten wrinkle on people’s faces is fully restored – and looking almost modern. The movie is in black and white, and dark tones are deep while white tones are bright, with a full range of gray tones in between. Cinephiles will be happy with the amount of film grain retained, though it’s more obvious in the movie's exterior scenes.

There are two soundtrack options: monaural and DTS-HD MA 5.1. For purists, the monaural soundtrack has been nicely cleaned up, with clear speech and detailed effects. But the DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack really shines here. There’s solid bass from the rumble of galloping horses, good surround details during gunfights with ricocheting bullets, and even a wide soundstage, letting the soundtrack breathe. Speech is also crystal clear.

The Breakfast Club (Criterion Collection)

One of the 1980s' most iconic movies from John Hughes, The Breakfast Club is a coming-of-age comedy-drama that tells the story of five teenagers from distinctly different social cliques, all brought in for the same Saturday detention. The film stars Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson, Michael C. Hall, Emilio Estevez and Ally Sheedy.

The Breakfast Club is another example of a great 4K restoration from Criterion Collection. Colors have some really nice pop throughout, especially in the glossy Coca-Cola cans everyone has at lunch. The bright yellow and red lockers look both punchy and realistic. Textures are nicely restored, with close-up shots of the main characters showing details like stubble and creases in full detail. Cinephiles will love the amount of film grain here, too.

While The Breakfast Club isn’t the audio showcase of an action blockbuster, both its monaural and DTS-HD 5.1 MA soundtracks are very good. The DTS-HD 5.1 MA in particular delivers clear speech and precise sound effects, such as the exaggerated squeaking of Bender’s leather boots or the biting of Allison’s nails. The movie’s 80s-centric soundtrack also sounds great, with the powerful punch of synths and drums you want from iconic tracks like Simple Minds’ Don’t You Forget About Me.

The Man Who Wasn’t There (Criterion Collection)

Directed by the Coen Brothers, The Man Who Wasn’t There tells the story of Ed Crane (Billy Bob Thornton), a barber in a small Californian town who tries to blackmail his wife’s lover to raise money for a business venture offered to him by a customer at the barbershop. The movie also stars Frances McDormand, Scarlett Johansson, Michael Badalucco, and more.

The Man Who Wasn’t There looks fantastic in 4K. Presented in black and white, there’s a great balance between light and dark tones, with a full range of grays. There are tons of excellent high-contrast scenes throughout, with deep blacks casting strong shadows and balancing with bright highlights. Textures have been cleaned up, with close-up shots showing people’s wrinkles and facial marks with refined detail, while skin appears true-to-life throughout. There’s some nice film grain, too.

The DTS-HD 5.0 surround soundtrack is very clear and refined. Crane’s voiceover is perfectly rendered with good clarity throughout the movie. More subtle sound effects are well presented, too. An unsettling wind, the whir of the clippers in the barber chair, or footsteps in echo-y halls are all well-defined and authentic.

Cutter’s Way (Radiance)

Cutter’s Way follows the story of Vietnam veteran Alex Cutter (John Heard) and his friend Richard Bone (Jeff Bridges), who both become embroiled in a murder investigation, with Cutter convinced that Bone is a witness.

Cutter’s Way is another example of a top-notch 4K restoration. Textures have been refined and look detailed and authentic. People’s skin and the textures in clothing are all true-to-life and look more modern than the 1981 production would suggest. Colors are vibrant throughout, with reds and greens in particular looking punchy. Contrast during night scenes is also strong, and there’s a lot of film grain here for cinephiles, but it doesn’t hamper the picture.

This 4K disc only offers a mono soundtrack, but it sounds clear, with speech and other effects still given enough room to breathe and delivered with good clarity. For those looking for something truly unique, there’s also an isolated score track option, which cuts out all audio other than the score, even during parts of the movie where there's no score. It makes for an interesting watch, and the score itself is bright, loud and detailed if you choose this experience.

Shop our setup

• Sony unveils Bravia Theater Bar 7 soundbar, with 9 speakers, 5.0.2-channels, for $869 / £699
• Also the 3.1-channel Bravia Theater Bar 5 with wireless sub for $349 / £399
• Two wireless subs and wireless rear Atmos speakers unveiled too

Sony has launched two new soundbars along with new companion subwoofers and rear speakers.

The Bravia Theater 7 is a nine-speaker, 5.0.2-channel all-in-one soundbar with dedicated up-firing and side-firing drivers, and automatic room calibration. It's very much in line to be a competitor to the Sonos Arc Ultra, but it has a bunch of key features that the Sonos lacks.

It supports Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, IMAX Enhanced — the latter two aren't supported by Sonos. It also has HDMI passthrough with 4K/120Hz and Dolby Vision support, and again the Sonos Arc Ultra lacks any HDMI passthrough.

There's also Bluetooth is 6.0 with LDAC, Wi-Fi 6, and the Bar 7 has Spotify Connect and Apple AirPlay 2.

You can also expand the new Sony with the new Bravia Theater Sub 8 smaller subwoofer, the bigger dual-driver Theater Sub 9, and the Bravia Theater Rear 9 speakers, which have large up-firing 80mm speakers for more immersive spatial sound.

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 5

The second soundbar, the Bravia Theater Bar 5, is a 3.1-channel model with an included wireless subwoofer. It supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X as well, and also comes with Sony's virtual surround technologies: Virtual Surround Engine for virtual spatial audio and S-Force Pro, which emulates side-firing speakers for a wider sound field.

The new soundbars are designed to work with Bravia TVs and the Bravia Connect app, which enables you control your home theater setup from your phone.

Both new soundbars are priced keenly. The Bravia Theater Bar 5 is $349.99 / £399, and the Bravia Theater Bar 7 is $869 / £699. Australian pricing hasn't been confirmed just yet, but all models will available from July 2026. We'll update this update once pricing details come through.

The Bravia Theater Sub 9 has an official price of $899 / £899; the Theater Sub 8 is $499 / £649, and the Theater Rear 9 speakers are $749 / £699. All of the new products are available for pre-order now, and we have a review on the way of the Theater Bar 7, so watch this space.

• Eclipsa Audio is a new rival to Dolby Atmos from Samsung and Google
• LG TVs will support the audio format involved, but not the name
• It's all down to which bit is open source, and which bit needs a license

Recently, I covered news of a report that LG is adding Eclipsa Audio support to its 2026 TVs, and some 2025 TVs. However, LG has now clarified to TechRadar that while Eclipsa Audio sources should work on its TVs technologically, the company isn't supporting the name Eclipsa Audio.

What exactly is going on? There are four layers to this onion, so let's peel through them one by one.

1. What is Eclipsa Audio in broad terms?

Eclipsa Audio is the name of a new 3D audio format to rival Dolby Atmos. It's built on a free and open new technology. The idea with it is to reduce the cost barriers of entry to spatial audio for small creators in particular, and allow the great use of spatial audio on all kinds of video and audio.

Samsung was one of the companies majorly involved in its creation, and you can read more about the logic behind it in our interview with the VP of Samsung Audio Labs.

2. What is the technology behind Eclipsa Audio?

The audio technology behind Eclipsa Audio is called IAMF (Immersive Audio Model & Format), and it's an open-source audio data container to add 3D-feeling positional information to audio formats, including height information. The development of it was led by Samsung and Google.

As a free and open format, anyone can implement it without paying a fee or royalties for its use, as long as they follow the rules of the open-source license it's available under.

3. What's going on with the name Eclipsa Audio?

Eclipsa Audio is the name that Google and Samsung have chosen as a consumer-friendly brand for the IAMF 3D format. However, while IAMF is free for anyone to use, the name Eclipsa Audio is not.

It's part of "a certification and brand licensing program" run by Google and Samsung, in order "to provide quality assurance to manufacturers and consumers for products that support Eclipsa Audio".

So if companies want to say they support Eclipsa Audio, they need approval from Google and Samsung, presumably including providing access to upcoming products for certification.

4. So what's LG supporting?

LG is fully supporting the IAMF technology, but it has chosen not to participate in the Google and Samsung certification and licensing program, so the name Eclipsa Audio will not be found on its products.

This is confusing, but it makes sense. If you were LG's TV team, would you want to send your latest new products to Samsung ahead of their launch for approval?

As things stand, anything with IAMF support should fully work with LG's compatible TVs – meaning that if a video on YouTube says it supports Eclipsa Audio, it should deliver the full experience on an LG TV. It's just that LG can't call it Eclipsa Audio in its settings or information screens when it's playing.

5. Which LG TVs support Eclipsa Audio?

According to the original report from FlatpanelsHD, all of LG's 2026 TVs will support IAMF audio, and it will also be added to select 2025 TVs: the LG G5, the LG C5, the LG CS5, and the LG QNED9M.

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In a world where speaker objets d'art exist such as the JBL L100 or B&O’s Beolab 90s, it’s always felt to me that if you’re lucky enough to own some high-end hi-fi speakers, they should be proudly on display in your home.

To that end, the notion of residential 'invisible speakers' always seemed like a solution to a problem that didn’t exist, in my mind. Installed in recesses behind walls or ceilings, allowing you to magically hear your music and movies without the speakers being in view at all, they perhaps made sense to me for commercial settings and places where floor space is at a premium — that's why in-wall speakers are so popular in home theater installations — but otherwise the tech always came across as somewhat gimmicky.

Moreover, the examples I’d heard at audio and home theater shows often left me feeling flat (appropriately, I suppose), with anaemic outputs more reminiscent of the delivery you’d expect from a cheap soundbar than a home theater system.

Fast forward to 2026, and a visit to the ISE expo in Barcelona left me realizing that the game has very much changed, and not necessarily for the reasons you’d expect.

The luxury home-installation bracket is traditionally where hidden speakers reside, but two exhibitors at the show, each with a different approach to their hidden speakers, suggest you might be seeing — or not, as the case may be — more of these sound systems cropping up in more regular homes.

The first revelatory moment for me came with a visit to Amina’s stand. Based in Cambridge in the UK, the company is solely focused on its “plaster-over” invisible speakers, with its designs initially inspired by tech that first featured in the UK's Ministry of Defence helicopter simulators from the 1980s.

Pride of place on the stand was an unassuming wall decorated with laminated wood behind which was housed three of the company’s latest larger Sapphire 375 75-watt speakers, coupled with one of its ALF 100 subwoofers, which had a vented port near the floor.

Listening to Van Morrison’s Days Like This through the system, I was taken aback by the full-bodied, yet controlled, crystal-clear delivery of the familiar song, coming from something that was, simply, a wall.

After moving around the wall, it soon occurred to me that the system appeared to have an unexpected advantage over a conventional speaker setup: there was no discernible 'sweet spot'. No matter where I stood when facing the wall, there was still the same level of separation to the track’s instruments — whatever way the speakers were dispersing vibrations across the wall, it was allowing the 180-degree sound to fill the entire room in a uniform, consistent manner.

Advantages to an unusual approach

Speaking to Amina’s Managing Director Richard Newlove at the show , he explained how the design of Amina’s vibrational panel speakers takes influence from acoustic musical instruments, allowing them to create sound in a way that is more harmonious with their surroundings.

“A regular, moving-coil loud speaker is directional, so it's only aiming in what direction the speakers are pointed. But when those reflections do come back, they start to interfere,” Richard explained.

“And in the worst-case scenario, what's happening there is that you're changing the sound in the room from what the speakers are creating. But acoustic musical instruments like violins send all frequencies in all directions, 360 degrees. The surface is creating a very complex energy wave, not a phase-related energy. A vibrational soundboard is better at connecting with air and putting sound into it. The beauty is that this way of dispersing sound is also scalable — a double bass and a violin work the same way.”

Amina’s early products were speakers disguised as pictures on walls, as well as ceiling tiles and projection screens, but they soon received requests for installs that were even more discreet, that could be recessed into the wall without any shadow line or gap, with those solutions evolving into what’s become its current speaker lineup.

The brand’s latest Sapphire range use super-lightweight honeycomb-structured panels that are driven by an electronic exciter, which delivers sound vibrations to the surface.

The panels are just 31mm thick and can be installed into a routed hole in stud walls or in plasterboard dry walls that can then be skimmed over, while their slim frame also enables them to work well behind panelled wood so long as the veneer isn’t too thick (anything over 2mm can degrade the output).

While early versions of vibration-based invisible speakers used a low-powered piezoelectric system to distribute sound and carbon panels that were too stiff to give out meaningful low frequencies, the improved materials and exciters being used in Amina’s Sapphire 375 speakers mean they’re able to deliver much greater midrange and bottom end with an impressive claimed frequency response of 50Hz to 20kHz.

Stealth mode

A short walk across the hall to American brand Stealth Acoustics shows a different, but no less impactful, approach to creating sound systems that disappear into their surroundings.

Based in Washington state, the company has been producing invisible systems for the best part of 25 years, and is now on its eighth line of speakers with its LineaRadiance range. Stealth’s speakers uses a hybrid approach, combining traditional cone woofers with acoustic lever technologies for bass.

Their flat front diaphragm design also 170-degree dispersion, and also means you don’t have to worry about symmetrical placement.

While that means that they’re more directional than Amina’s speakers, their flat front diaphragm design still means they deliver wide dispersion and also mean you don’t have to worry about symmetrical placement.

They do however, carry a lot more heft in output, both from a power perspective — up to a meaty 200 watts RMS with the new flagship L-RAD 430 speakers — as well as in terms of frequency response, with a much wider, deeper soundstage with a useable bass delivery down to ~35Hz.

Needing more depth and heavier in weight than Amina’s panels, Stealth’s LineaRadiance speakers are perhaps best suited to new construction projects where wooden studs are visible.

“The goal is to make a speaker that you go to first,” explains Stealth’s Business Development Director, Mark Cichowski. “Not to think, ‘I need an invisible speaker’, but more like, ‘I need a good-sounding speaker, and it is also invisible’.”

The permanence of hidden sound systems is also a consideration for Stealth, with Cichowski keen to stress its 20-year warranty. “Once it’s in the wall, there’s no maintenance — the failure rate is incredibly low. The systems themselves have circuit protection, so if someone goes and turns it up to 100, you’re not going to blow a speaker out and then have to dig it out of the wall and replace it. It’ll cap itself and tell the power to come back down.”

Some of the drawbacks that have always dogged invisible speakers, of course, still remain. While the costs have fallen since the early days of invisible speakers, that discreet elegance unsurprisingly still comes with a premium asking price, with Stealth’s L-RAD 430’s priced at $3,000 for a pair, while Amina’s Sapphire 375’s come in at a slightly more costly $1,800 per speaker — all before the installation costs.

While there’s always the option of fitting the speakers yourself, but much of the sound quality of both brand’s speakers is dependent on a quality install, so the two companies both advise using a professional service from their partners.

Once installed and finished over with plaster or paint, there’s then the issue of accessing them for service, upgrade or even if you want to remove them and take them with you should you move house — all scenarios that are considerably more difficult than with traditional visible speakers.

These factors aside, the tech has come far enough for invisible speakers to now become a real consideration for even discerning audiophiles. If you’re moving into a new place, or about to decorate your listening area, it might now be time to build your very own wall of sound.

When I moved into my new apartment, I wanted my TV setup to feel a bit more deliberate than the usual rented home arrangement of a screen on a TV bench, a soundbar, and a mess of cables doing their best.

So, with help from family, I built a custom small-scale Tv, soundbar and hi-fi setup designed to fit the space properly, hiding cables and looking cleaner day-to-day.

I've always been happy with how it turned out, but living with it taught me something that product pages and showroom photos do not: the best setup is not always the one that looks the neatest on day one.

In a smaller home like mine, the choices that matter most are usually the practical ones: how easy it is to reach a cable, how many remotes you need to juggle, and so on.

Some of those lessons came from getting things right, and some came from learning the hard way. Either way, they are useful if you are trying to build a cleaner, smarter TV setup without turning your living room into a full-time AV project.

What's my setup?

My custom TV setup was not a full from-scratch build so much as an adaptation of what was already there.

We used a buyable record shelf as the base, then added a long wooden top and a new support leg to create one continuous unit for the TV, turntable, storage, and desk space.

The whole thing was shaped around the built-in white shelving already in the flat, which meant the room itself dictated a lot of the design.

All of this was accomplished on the day I moved in and the day after, so it was a tight — and very stressful — timeframe, which is an element of the project that I definitely don't recommend unless absolutely necessary.

1. Leave some cable slack and strain relief

One of the least glamorous lessons was also one of the most useful: do not make your cable runs so neat that they become a pain to live with.

In my setup, once everything was tucked away and routed through the furniture properly, even small changes became more annoying than I’d expected, albeit with the advantage of being nicer to look at.

In a smaller flat, where the TV stand is likely to sit close to the wall and every inch matters, leaving a bit of slack behind the screen and around your devices makes a real difference.

2. eARC is brilliant until it isn’t

For me, HDMI ARC was one of the best parts of the whole setup. Running a soundbar through my Samsung TV’s eARC port helped cut down the clutter straight away, because it meant simpler audio, fewer visible connections, and less dependence on a pile of remotes.

The catch is that eARC still relies on everything in the chain behaving itself. HDMI handshakes, quirks with HDMI-CEC control system it uses, and the occasional audio oddity can turn a tidy one-cable solution into something that feels strangely temperamental.

I still think it is well worth prioritizing, especially with one of the best soundbars, but it is smarter to treat it as part of the system that you might need to play with sometimes, not a magic solution you can set and forget.

3. Don’t chase 'flush to the wall'

One thing I would be more relaxed about next time is how close the TV sits to the wall, or to whatever is supporting it.

In my experience, it's easy to fixate on that super-slim, ultra-neat look – especially if you're wall-mounting — but in real life it can create more problems than it solves.

In a smaller space, a bit of extra space behind the screen makes it much easier to reach ports, route cables neatly, and make changes without turning a simple job into a frustrating one.

And if you're wall-mounting, remember that a fancy mount that keeps the TV flush to the wall will look amazing, but a thicker mount (especially that moves) will make fixing problems way easier.

4. Kill the remote pile

A home theater setup can look clean and still feel annoying to use, and remotes are a big part of that.

One thing I appreciated with my own system was how much better it felt once I was not constantly juggling controls just to switch inputs or adjust the volume.

It is worth thinking about this when you're planning what you're going to include in your setup.

A soundbar with solid eARC support, a streaming device with a good remote, or a universal remote can make a bigger difference than another spec upgrade you only notice occasionally.

5. Plan for the day you move out

The final lesson only really clicked afterwards: a setup does not just need to work while you live with it, it needs to be removable without becoming a nightmare.

In a rented flat, it is very easy to make something feel brilliantly custom in the moment, then discover later that it only really works in that one exact room.

Removable cable management rather than built-in, furniture that can be reused in a different layout, and mounts or accessories that do not leave you with loads to undo all make far more sense in the long run.

A good setup should suit your space now, but it should not punish you for eventually leaving it. I'm glad I'm staying put for the foreseeable future.

In the build up to the launch of the new Sonos Play and Sonos Era 100 SL speakers, I had the chance to speak to Sonos CEO Tom Conrad not just about these speakers, but about the many changes he's made to the company since taking over in January 2025, and other changes happening in the industry at the moment.

Below is our full conversation, covering every topic — but you can read just our conversation about the app disaster and how the company is changing as a result (and what Conrad still doesn't like about it) here, or just our discussion of wireless soundbars and Dolby Atmos FlexConnect here, or just our talk about what the music streaming services can do better here.

Conrad has been a part of Sonos as a board member for eight years, and became the boss when former CEO Patrick Spence left following a disastrous app update in 2024 that changed the company's perception drastically. It seems like an appropriate position for a man who had a tattoo of the Sonos Ace headphones on his arm even before he got this job.

After our initial introductions, Conrad wasted no time in jumping into his pitch for the direction of the company, and how that informed the launch of these new products.

Tom Conrad: One of the first things that I said to the team when I took the job as CEO was that I think we really make just one product, which is a sound system for the home. Any individual device is just a way into the system or to deepen your attachment to it. The system of Sonos really is the product.

Now, of course, we sell speakers and soundbars and headphones and components. But what has always made Sonos special is that the experience gets better every time you add another room, a stereo pair, surround sound in the living room, music moving with you from the kitchen to a road trip — really a system where the whole is genuinely greater than the sum of the parts.

And I think that really sets Sonos apart from every other audio company on the planet. And so I think that's the context to understand [Sonos Play]. We're not launching a new speaker, but we're really opening a new front door to the system.

13 years ago, Play:1 introduced millions of people to this idea. Actually we sold more than 10 million of them, and remarkably, nine out of 10 are still in use today.

And Play:1 didn't just introduce an audience to whole-home audio, it really invented the category and defined what internet-connected home audio could be.

When we started this project [the Sonos Play], we asked a simple question: If we were designing the perfect fundamental building block for the Sonos system today, knowing everything we've learned over the last two decades, what would it look like?

And as an intentional callback to the speaker that started it all, we're calling this new product Sonos Play.

And when you put Sonos Play next to the Play:1, you can see how much has changed. Play:1 was a mono single tweeter speaker with a midwoofer. Sonos Play is true stereo with dual tweeters, a dedicated midwoofer and, frankly, a soundstage that just absolutely fills the room.

The bass is deeper, the amplification architecture is three generations ahead of where we were with Play:1. It has automatic TruePlay that continuously adapts the sound to wherever the speaker happens to be sitting, and then there's just all of the technological stuff that didn't exist in 2013 — Wi Fi 6, microphone arrays for AI conversation.

Matt Bolton: I also feel like there's a couple of design elements in the Play that look more like the Play:1 and the Sonos One than the Era 300. It's got this bigger like white lip at the top and some elements of the slightly more old-school Sonos design aesthetic.

TC: That's right, it is a callback in a bunch of ways. I mean, it looks really nice next to a 300, certainly from the same family.

As beautiful as the, as the Play:1 was in its day, and you still see them all over the world, we have moved dramatically beyond the design language of that product, from that era. So [the Play is] just aesthetically, it's a great step forward.

The last exciting thing about Play is that while Play:1 was designed to sit kind of permanently on a shelf in your home, Sonos Play comes with a charging cradle and has a full-day battery in it.

So in addition to being the perfect speaker for your kitchen or for a stereo pair for your office, it's also the best speaker for you to take with you, whether it's into the backyard for a dinner party or to throw in your bag to take on vacation.

It's beautifully between the audio characteristics of Sonos Roam and Sonos Move. it's a pretty remarkable Goldilocks speaker, if I do say so myself. We're really, really excited about it.

MB: I feel like the fact that you're talking about fresh front door products is an indication in itself that, after 15 months of being quiet, you've had to go through some kind of reset. So can you you talk through what you guys have been changing internally?

TC: If you think about the history of the company, we had a decade under the stewardship of John McFarlane, the company's founder. His vision was really all driven by the idea of filling every home with music on the backs of this emergent streaming moment, that he predicted so accurately.

But if you were to critique his decade, it might only be that we didn't ship that much hardware — a couple of amplifiers, a controller, you know, the initial Play:5.

It wasn't until Patrick became CEO, in our second decade, that the company really found its footing with respect to reliably shipping a couple of new products every single year. In fact, his stated goal for the company was to turn it into kind of a new product introduction machine. And, I mean, I'm the incredible beneficiary of that work!

But if you were to critique his chapter, I think the unintended consequence of that laser-like focus on new products was the company lost some of its connection to the idea that the product is actually Sonos. That the individual product launches are meant to extend the idea of what the system can be in a home and in the world.

The shift in my chapter, in some ways, is to marry the best of both of those worlds, to return to the idea that Sonos is a comprehensive system for audio in the home that you need in the same way that you need lighting and plumbing and Wi Fi; you need a sound system for your home. But to also build on our capability around new product introduction.

For my first year at the company, we had to pour so much of our energy into righting the ship with respect to the software platform that underpins all of the system experiences, that we purposefully paused our new hardware introductions to get back to par on that front.

And so it is an exciting moment to be able to say, OK, we're back, and we're launching new products again, and we'll have more in the back half of the year, because, you know, I like to say that Sonos is a company that's 100% software and 100% hardware, and so it's nice to get the 100% back that's hardware.

MB: It's interesting you mentioned that moment, because with something like the Era 100 SL, it's not like it requires a huge amount of new R&D to develop it, so it's clearly a decision you've made to wait for this time to release it. So what is it about the stage you've reached with the platform or the other work you've been doing that made now the right time?

TC: Then you look at where we were when I came in the door, we were in the middle of trying to recover from our missteps in the spring of 2024 with the launch of the new app and software platform.

Candidly, the real story there is that we just changed too much too fast, and made a bunch of tactical errors along the way of rolling it out to our customers, and then paid a very dear price. As did our customers.

I've been a customer for nearly 20 years. I've been a partner to the company for 15 or something, going back to the integrations we did between Pandora and Sonos in my days building Pandora. I've been on the board for eight years. I love this company

And Sonos in my own home is a huge part of, you know, the daily delight and satisfaction and ambiance I enjoy when I'm at home. As much as anything, I took the job to fix the product and, and get the company back to a place where we're just reliably delighting tens of millions of customers around the world again.

A lot of that was on the back of getting the software right. And so I wanted the company to be just laser focused on that return.

And with respect to the timing on Era 100 SL, our goal with Era 100 SL, frankly, was really to anchor the product line in an attainable price point for our customers. There's a lot of work that went into Era 100 SL to get us to a point where we could offer it at this entry-level price point while not compromising on audio quality at all.

So while it might look like this is as simple as removing some microphones, there's a comprehensive look at the cost of the product from top to bottom to get it to this new entry-level price.

MB: So there's an amount of re-engineering inside to to help you get it there?

TC: That's right.

MB: The other outcome of everything you guys have been through with the app is that it now means that any further updates you make to the app are automatically a huge deal, whether they deserve to be or not. Does that affect how you're approaching it or how you communicate about it?

TC: I think that when you make software that people use every day, and it's a big part of their life, it's always a big deal when you make changes. It's certainly true that there's additional scrutiny on Sonos, but as a software creator, I've always felt a keen responsibility to move my audience along with the changes and updates that we're making, in a really thoughtful and methodical way.

And so, as an example of that playing out at Sonos, you know, I'd say there were kind of three things that we had to improve upon after the disastrous launch in 2024. We had to fix performance and reliability — we had to restore baseline functionality that had been dropped from the product in its initial release. And we had to improve the user experience of the offering as well.

And it's really the third thing that we're only just now able to tackle [now]. If I'm candid about my assessment of the app, I think it's peculiar. I think the company made a range of decisions about the user interface that are just not consistent with what you see in any other music streaming app, for example.

I mean: all kinds of strange swipe behaviors and a search affordance that floats above the screen in a kind of weirdly invisible way — cards upon cards upon cards as you navigate through the app, none of which is conventional.

So when we sit with our customers in their homes and observe them using the app, they get lost, they don't know where they are. It's not clear to them how to get to just basic functionality. There's a funny kind of search blindness — the interface that we chose for search actually takes up more pixels on the screen than a typical search interface, but people don't even see it. They're like, 'I can't find search' because it's presented in such an unconventional way.

And so, we're now at the place where we can update the app to return it to more conventional choices. But it is, as you point out, another set of changes for our customers.

We're handling this opportunity in a really different way. I've been on Reddit, for example, describing the changes and asking our customers there to give us feedback back about their own experience learning to use Sonos and living with it every day. We will roll changes out to our beta channel and even there, our users will be able to opt into the experience.

And then when we take it to production, we'll similarly have opt-in experiences and a gradual roll out and iteration. We've already learned a lot from the perspective of our customers on Reddit after my invitation to them [recently] to share their thoughts.

None of this is a surprising way to operate a scale consumer software product, but it's certainly the set of best practices and, frankly, one of the missteps of the company in 2024 is that we didn't more closely adhere to these norms.

MB: There was a real sense that your competitors could smell blood in the water in 2024, and they really went hard on their own products going for, going for the switchers. Do you think you can win back people who did switch to WiiM or other platforms? Or do you think it's more about using these new "front door" products to go after an expanded market?

TC: Certainly, anyone that was frustrated with Sonos in the last couple of years, I hope will consider us again. When I wear my business hat, there was a cost of goodwill with our customers from this chapter, I think it really most impacted advocacy and repurchases. I don't think it was a huge driver of people fully leaving Sonos and going to other platforms.

So my my hope is that all of the people who had a bad experience in 2024 are having good experiences today, and are starting to feel better about Sonos, and can be excited about a product like Sonos Play or Era 100 SL to extend their experience in their own home, or to evangelize it to their friends and family as something that they have to have in their homes.

I think that was the real cost, it was sort of a cost of advocacy and evangelism more than it was people switching to one of the the smaller players who purports to do the same kinds of things we do.

MB: You guys certainly were one of the most recognizable brands in tech — I mean, still are, no doubt — but that must have been a real eye-opening moment that momentum and past performance only takes you so far, right?

TC: Yeah, for sure. I mean, it certainly was a moment that changed my life.

In the aftermath of that, you just have to show up in people's life with some humility and do the hard work of earning their trust back through great execution, great product, great software, great experiences, and never forget what you put people through.

MB: I believe you restructured the company. How is that changing how you're working and helping to make improvements?

TC: When I came in in January of 2025, I quickly made a bunch of changes. I moved us from a business-unit orientation, where we had a home theater team, and a portables team, and a professional team, a headphones team — to a functional [organization], where we have a hardware organization and a software organization, and a product design organization.

And the benefit there is that it really allows you to get the company thinking about what we do as a system and not a collection of categories.

In the process of doing that, we also eliminated a bunch of management layers, which were standing in the way of execution. So yeah, we're definitely functioning differently today than we were a year ago.

MB: How would you say that change in function manifested in designing and launching these two products?

TC: It allowed us to really think holistically about how the product fits into the lineup. I think under the old guard, a product like Play might have been principally conceptualized alongside the various other kinds of mid-tier portable speakers, and would have been scrutinized internally and marketed on [technical specs] around battery life and portability and so forth.

We've really focused on how we make this a really great part of the Sonos system — the 'Goldilocks' perfect speaker, if you like.

MB: It's interesting you say that because I remember when the Move 2 came out, one of the things that occurred very quickly to me is that it has, if not the exact same speaker configuration, an extremely similar speaker configuration to the Era 100. Are you saying that with the Play, you're just working on the Play, you're not looking at what technology you have elsewhere that you can borrow?

TC: Well, no, in some ways the opposite, particularly as it relates to software. We're thinking more fundamentally about: How does this fit into the overall offering? How does it make the the system of Sonos more comprehensive?

With Play, I really do think it's kind of the ideal building block. I mean, when my friends and family ask me about Sonos, I'm going to start telling them they should put a Sonos Play in every room, or a stereo pair in their family room.

It's a phenomenal-sounding speaker and just has so much utility relative to anything that we've ever done before

MB: We've talked a lot about the Sonos system in particular as it pertains to the music side. I wanted to ask about home theater as well, because we're on the cusp of a major change in that sector with wireless connectivity, particularly from the TV to the soundbar. LG and Samsung are exploring proprietary options that lock out companies like Sonos, and push people to buy the same soundbar brand as their TV. Is this a trend you are concerned about?

TC: As you know, we're by far the most successful player in home theater, and consistently taking more and more market share from the companies that you're talking about

It's a huge part of our business, and we're the pioneer in wirelessly distributing audio around the family room, and we'll have our own things to say about how that evolves in the coming quarters.

MB: What do you think of Dolby Atmos FlexConnect? Is that something you would support?

So FlexConnect is interesting. There are really three things that have to happen in a FlexConnect-style implementation. You've got to get the bits from the media to the speaker, whether that's through the television or through the set-top box or through the soundbar, something has to get the bits into the air.

And then you have to position the speakers in the room, understand where they are and what their orientation is.

And then the last piece is that, understanding the speakers' position and the bits from the device, you have to render the bits appropriately for that position and orientation.

Dolby has done a great job of telling the story of FlexConnect as encompassing all three dimensions, but the technology of FlexConnect is actually just that last bit. It's taking the positional information [of the speakers] and the bits [from the media] once they're on the speaker, and rendering it.

And, the other two dimensions — positioning, and the transmittal of the bits actually from the source to the speakers — is sort of left as an exercise for the student, which is why the LG solution is proprietary to LG and the TCL solution is proprietary to TCL.

And you can imagine that — even as much as Dolby wants to talk about the universal character of FlexConnect in the same way they talk about Atmos — the LGs and TCLs of the world might not be that motivated to create a system whereby you can mix and match speakers [from other brands] with their televisions.

I guess I could just say that we're interested in that entire space, the entire domain of: How do you get the bits from the source to the speakers? How do you position the speakers in three-dimensional space? And how do you render? We'll continue to work on our roadmap.

MB: The old Sonos was a really leaky ship when it came to product launches before your time. Is that something you want to change? I've got to say, I yearn for us to go back to the days when companies showed us tech six months, eight months, before it launched — to get a feel for how people responded to it. Could you imagine the company operating in that way?

TC: You know, the funny thing about the period where Sonos was sort of a leaky ship is that it was a period where the company, I think, was trying to be at its most secretive. In some ways, I think that Sonos culturally, internally, fashioned itself like a mini Apple, and really tried to hold its cards close to its vest.

As much as I've been a little evasive about some of the things you've asked about our roadmap, I'm conscious that we're not Apple, and that I think we can talk a little bit more about where we're going and the future that we see without being so concerned about the secrecy of it all.

I sort of love that since I've gotten here, the leaks have dried up from that standpoint, and I think it suggests that the people inside the company are feeling excited and proud of their work, and not wanting to see it out in the world in advance of when the company decides to reveal it.

Where my head is, is somewhere between where Apple sits and what you would like for us to do. So stay tuned, we should keep talking!

MB: I want to ask about the largely rumored but semi-confirmed set-top box and smart software that seemed to be developed in partnership with another company. Are you willing to talk about how far it got, or what your relationship to it was?

Without getting into specifics of that project, if it exists, I will say that part of what I had to do when I came in the door was to make some hard decisions about where we were going to focus. The company was, demonstrably, spread too thin, was trying to do too many things, and was struggling to execute with excellence across all of them.

So I tried to focus our energies on the programs that I thought that were most aligned with our differentiating power in the market. I remain really confident that the things that we chose to focus on are the things that are going to have the most impact on Sonos, in the near term.

MB: Given your background at Pandora, what do you think of music-streaming services today and how they integrate into the Sonos app? Do you, from the Sonos side, have any frustrations with them, and then personally what do you think?

TC: One of the things I'm really excited about in terms of our software roadmap is working more closely with our music service partners. All I really care about with with respect to listening to music on Sonos is getting the customer as quickly and seamlessly as possible to their outcome.

If that means AirPlay or Bluetooth or Spotify Connect or experiences inside of Spotify versus experiences inside of our app… I don't care. I just want it to work every time, and have it be completely seamless. I feel like we have a better relationship with Apple, Amazon, Spotify than we have in years, and I'm really excited about the work we're driving together.

I think the only thing I will say about the state of streaming music is that, you know, the iPod invented the core conventions of modern digital music, and then in 2004, Pandora and Last FM, I suppose, kind of invented the modern conventions around personalized streaming audio. And it's been 20 years, and it's surprising to me how little has changed in that experience.

We've gone from a world where you had access to just the CDs you bought to a world where you have access to hundreds of millions of songs in your pocket, and yet the user interface of it all is kind of just some hierarchical browsing, and then a fullscreen audio player with skip buttons and things.

I guess quietly, at night, I sort of imagine a future where there's more innovation and [questioning] what does it mean to navigate the whole entire world of music with something that wasn't designed for 1,000 songs in your pocket.

MB: Do you think that the physically small size of phone screens is holding us back in that regard?

TC: You know what I think is mostly holding us back in that regard? Apple is motivated by selling hardware, and Spotify is motivated by reducing licensing costs, and no one is motivated by: let's make a great and innovative music discovery experience for the consumer.

Ahead of Sonos' recent launch of its new Sonos Play and Era 100 SL speakers, I got to speak to CEO Tom Conrad about what the company has been up to since its last big launch, the Sonos Arc Ultra in 2024.

We talked about the new speakers, and then we spent a long time talking about what went wrong with the company's big app disaster that same year, what's still wrong with it, and how the company has changed to fix it — and Conrad was very candid in that talk, so I'd definitely recommend reading it if you've taken an interest in Sonos at all.

But one of the other big things that's happened in the time Sonos has been working on itself is the launch of Dolby Atmos FlexConnect. This is technology that lets you get a great home theater experience without needing speakers that sit in traditional front left, front right, rear left, rear right positions — you put the speakers wherever you like, even if they're unbalanced or the speakers don't match, and the system figures out how to provide the best surround sound automatically.

TCL was the first to launch Dolby Atmos FlexConnect support in its TVs and in a speaker called the Z100. And this year, LG followed with support in its newer TVs, and a speaker, subwoofer, and soundbar range called LG Sound Suite. You can read our full LG Sound Suite Immersive Suite 7 Pro review for more on that.

One of the big features of these systems is that you can have wireless speakers connected directly to a TV, with no HDMI cable — wireless sound, configured simply using an app, and you don't lose an HDMI port.

This strikes me as a huge change, because it's very desirable and convenient, but it means TV companies are pushing people to buy their own products — TCL and LG's FlexConnect systems only work with their own speakers. And even non-Dolby versions of this tech — Samsung has an extremely similar technology — also require you to buy the same speakers as your TV.

I asked Conrad if Sonos is concerned about this major trend that effectively locks Sonos' products out of the future of wireless home theater, and he certainly puts on the air of a man who is not concerned.

"As you know, we're by far the most successful player in home theater, and consistently taking more and more market share from the companies that you're talking about," says Conrad.

"It's a huge part of our business, and we're the pioneer in wirelessly distributing audio around the family room, and we'll have our own things to say about how that evolves in the coming quarters."

I asked Conrad what he thinks of the FlexConnect technology. "So FlexConnect is interesting," he begins. "There are really three things that have to happen in a FlexConnect-style implementation. You've got to get the bits from the media to the speaker, whether that's through the television or through the set-top box or through the soundbar, something has to get the bits into the air.

"And then you have to position the speakers in the room, understand where they are and what their orientation is.

"And then the last piece is that, understanding the speakers' position and the bits from the device, you have to render the bits appropriately for that position and orientation.

"Dolby has done a great job of telling the story of FlexConnect as encompassing all three dimensions, but the technology of FlexConnect is actually just that last bit. It's taking the positional information [of the speakers] and the bits [from the media] once they're on the speaker, and rendering it.

"And, the other two dimensions — positioning, and the transmittal of the bits actually from the source to the speakers — is sort of left as an exercise for the student, which is why the LG solution is proprietary to LG and the TCL solution is proprietary to TCL.

And you can imagine that — even as much as Dolby wants to talk about the universal character of FlexConnect in the same way they talk about Atmos — the LGs and TCLs of the world might not be that motivated to create a system whereby you can mix and match speakers [from other brands] with their televisions."

So, is it something Sonos would support in the future? (Standard Dolby Atmos has been available on Sonos products for years, and support is included in the current Sonos Beam 2nd Gen, Sonos Arc Ultra, and Sonos Era 300.)

"I guess I could just say that we're interested in that entire space, the entire domain of: How do you get the bits from the source to the speakers? How do you position the speakers in three-dimensional space? And how do you render? We'll continue to work on our roadmap."

As much as the insight into Dolby Atmos FlexConnect is interesting, Conrad is obviously very vague about future plans — but we can do some reading between the lines here.

Of the three questions Conrad asked at the end, we know a bit about Sonos' technology in that area already.

"How do you position the speakers in three-dimensional space?" Sonos' TruePlay tech has never been pitched as mapping your speakers' positions, but rather compensates for your position in the room, and the reflections of your walls relative to the speakers.

But reading that statement, you're probably thinking 'Hang on, that sounds a lot like mapping the position of the speakers' — and we'll come back to that shortly.

But more directly, the Dolby Atmos FlexConnect systems from TCL and LG both use audio alone to detect the positions of the speakers, playing sounds and listening to them with microphones on the devices, with remarkable accuracy in 2D. This is how Sonos' own TruePlay Quick Tuning works, so even if the current TruePlay algorithm isn't exactly suitable, the knowledge seems to exist within the company.

When it comes to rendering the 3D sound, Conrad himself said that the FlexConnect system handles that — though again, Sonos has knowledge in this area of its own. Psychoacoustics tricks such as using reflections and time-of-flight manipulation are common in virtual Dolby Atmos devices, and the Sonos Beam is one of those. TruePlay again involves adjusting reflections for width and height channels.

But more than that, Sonos introduced the idea of a new kind of 3D sound processing for the Sonos Ace headphones and the TV Swap feature, tracking your head inside its own recreation of an Atmos-like 3D soundscape.

The 3D soundscape of the Sonos Ace can even be made to mimic the sound profile you get from your main Sonos speaker system, based on where the speakers are positioned compared to your usual seating position. It uses TruePlay data to do this — and so now we know Sonos has a product capable of creating a unique 3D sound environment based on the position of your speakers compared to your seating position.

So it seems evident that Sonos finds the same kind of tech as FlexConnect interesting, even if it hasn't added the freedom of speaker positioning to its home theater setups yet.

But none of this tackles the first question: "How do you get the bits from the source to the speakers?"

This is where Sonos is truly at risk, in my opinion. HDMI is an open standard that has enabled any kind of soundbar to work with any kind of TV. A similar attempt at a wireless standard, WiSA, has never taken off.

That's left TV companies free to use this part as a method of lock-in. Samsung, TCL, Sony, and LG all offer some kind of wireless speaker option that works directly with your TV, enabled by the TV software itself.

Sonos has no power over TV software, which leaves it with two options: partner with smart TV software makers to build in support, or offer some kind of HDMI dongle attachment.

The latter is relatively easy, but still uses up an HDMI port, and part of the attractiveness of these wireless systems is not having to deal with a port for your sound at all.

When it comes to partnering with smart TV makers, it's tough. LG and Samsung make their own software. Google TV is huge, but Sonos and Google famously have not had a good relationship.

That's a lot of TVs sold covered just in that group, especially high-end options. But there are still interesting options. Amazon Fire TV and Roku might be open to a partnership, and Fire TV support could also mean support from Fire TV Sticks, which can be attached to other TVs, of course.

And then there's the Apple TV 4K, which is rare among streaming boxes because it can take audio from anything connected to the TV, as well as generate its own audio from streaming apps. Apple and Sonos have long had a cosy relationship, including the Sonos Amp being the only streaming amp with native Apple Music support, even today.

The Apple TV 4K is popular with home theater enthusiasts, so perhaps Sonos could arrange with Apple to provide a flexible, 3D wireless sound option support at the OS level.

Whatever Sonos' plans are, I hope it's able to roll them out soon — the wireless soundbar revolution is arriving at speed, and Sonos doesn't want to be left behind.

A new month means a new group of 4K Blu-rays, and March 2026 is looking very stacked! As big 4K Blu-ray fans here at TechRadar, that’s great news as we can look to add more discs to our catalogue for testing the best TVs and best soundbars, as well as looking to add to our bursting shelves.

While it’s difficult to cover every new disc released each month, I’ve picked my highlights from March that I’m hoping to feature as part of the Blu-ray Bounty. This is my monthly column where I test new 4K discs released each month, analyzing their picture and audio quality to see how they can help your home theater flex its muscles.

Last month, I was excited to test four new 4K discs in particular including Lawrence of Arabia, Minority Report, Predator: Badlands and Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere and thankfully, I got to test all four (and more) as part of the February 2026 Blu-ray Bounty. Spoiler: they all looked great, but Lawrence of Arabia was particularly mind-blowing.

So, here are my top 5 picks for March! A quick note: I’m based in the UK, so these picks are based on the UK release dates. Some of these may already be available in your region.

Ben-Hur (1959) (Warner Bros.)

An iconic epic from Hollywood’s Golden Age, Ben Hur is the story of Judah Ben-Hur (played by Charlton Heston), a former nobleman sentenced to slavery after he is framed for treason, who must now regain his freedom and seek revenge. The movie set the record for largest set design and budget when it was released in 1959.

If Ben-Hur’s 4K restoration is anything like Lawrence of Arabia, then it’s sure to look staggering. Another epic filmed with a grand sense of scale, this 4K release is sourced from a new 8K scan and is presented in Dolby Vision, so it’s sure to shine. I’m hoping for bold colors, crisp textures and realistic details. The movie won multiple Academy Awards for its production design and art direction: let’s see if the 4K release will do it justice.

This 4K release supports a Dolby Atmos soundtrack, which will be perfect for delivering the grandiose score and all the action from the iconic chariot races. I’m hoping for big, room-filling audio with a nice soundstage that’ll come across nicely through our Dolby Atmos sound system.

Release dates:

US - February 17, 2026

UK - March 23, 2026

The Man Who Wasn’t There (Criterion Collection)

Written and directed by Joel and Ethan Cohen, The Man Who Wasn’t There is a noir movie inspired by the likes of Double Indemnity and Shadow Of A Doubt. It stars Billy Bob Thornton as Ed Crane, a man who plans to blackmail his wife’s boss for money in order to pursue a business venture, only for chaos to ensue. The cast is star studded and features Frances McDormand, Richard Jenkins, Scarlett Johansson and Tony Shalhoub.

In my time reviewing 4K Blu-rays, I’ve come to really appreciate what the format can do for black-and-white movies. Done right, the contrast can really allow a display to show off, particularly one like our reference LG G5 we use for testing. The Man Who Wasn’t There is filmed entirely in black-and-white in an homage to classic noir movies, so I’m hoping this 4K release from Criterion will bring out strong contrast as well as crisp details.

There’s no Dolby Atmos soundtrack included, but there is support for DTS-HD 5.0 Master Audio. These soundtracks have often surprised me with how immersive they can be, rivalling Atmos at times even without the 3D sound engineering. From the voiceover to Carter Burwell’s score, here’s hoping the DTS soundtrack can deliver the noir goodness.

Release dates:

US - February 24, 2026

UK - March 2, 2026

Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)

The sequel to the smash hit Wicked, Wicked: For Good picks up after the events of the first movie — Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is now demonized as the Wicked Witch of the West, whereas her friend Glinda (Ariana Grande) lives in the Emerald City, beloved by the local populace.

Wicked: For Good may not have been a hit with the critics, but Wicked remains one of my most regularly used 4K discs for testing, so I'm looking forward to this one still. The original popped and dazzled with color that was really brought to life by Dolby Vision. I suspect the sequel will deliver a similar picture, so hopefully it can be added to my arsenal of testing discs with some new scenes to show off.

While I anticipate Wicked: For Good will deliver a soaring, Dolby Atmos soundtrack with plenty of nuances to test a home theater system, the question is whether it’ll have anything as strong as the ‘Defying Gravity’ scene to really show off the disc’s audio chops. We'll see!

Release date:

US - January 20, 2026

UK - March 9, 2026

3:10 To Yuma (1957) (Criterion Collection)

A classic Western, 3:10 To Yuma follows the story of Dan Evans (Van Heflin), a rancher who takes on a job to escort notorious outlaw Ben Wade (Glenn Ford) to a train heading for Yuma, where the latter is set to stand trial. There was a remake in 2007 starring Russel Crowe and Christian Bale.

As I said above, I’ll always marvel at what 4K can do for black-and-white movies, especially classics remastered with tons of visual detail. I’m really hoping to see beautiful filmic textures and powerful contrast with a great range of black, white and gray tones. Nearly every 4K disc of pre-1970s movies from Criterion has looked excellent, so I’ve got high hopes for this disc, especially since it supports Dolby Vision.

Westerns are often great for testing out a home theater system’s sound, thanks to big gunfights to test the width and accuracy, and galloping horses to demo the heft. This 4K release supports both uncompressed monaural and DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtracks, the latter of which should really capture the intensity of a classic Western.

Release dates:

US - February 3, 2026

UK - March 9, 2026

The Breakfast Club (Criterion Collection)

One of John Hughes’ seminal coming-of-age teen dramas, The Breakfast Club tells the story of five students from different backgrounds/cliques on the same Saturday detention. It stars Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Anthony Michael Hall and Ally Sheedy as the five students. This release is long overdue here in the UK.

While I don't expect the dynamic visuals of other 4K discs, The Breakfast Club has some good potential, especially as this 4K release is from Criterion and supports Dolby Vision HDR. This hopefully means vibrant colors in the loud '80s outfits and likely a nice visual upgrade on textures and skin tones. Plus, I’m a fan of the movie, so I’m keen to see it in its best quality.

The 4K release comes with an uncompressed monaural and DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack. Again, there aren’t a ton of scenes in the movie to show off your home theater, but the film’s glorious soundtrack should come across nicely in a DTS mix.

Release dates:

US - November 4, 2025

UK - March 9, 2026

Highlighted releases - March 2026

Below is a list highlighting some of the big 4K Blu-ray releases for March 2026. There’s a mix of both US and UK releases here (which are indicated) and some titles may have already been released in other regions, or are set for release later in the year. Titles discussed above are in bold below.

March 2/3

• The Running Man (2025)
• Now You See Me, Now You Don’t (UK)
• Hamnet (US)
• The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (1983) (US)
• The Man Who Wasn’t There (Criterion) (UK)

March 9/10

• The Breakfast Club (Criterion) (UK)
• 3:10 To Yuma (1957) (Criterion) (UK)
• It Came From Outer Space (1953) (UK)
• Devil’s Advocate (US)
• Somewhere In Time (US)
• Wicked: For Good (UK)
• Battlestar Galactica (1978) (UK)
• Five Nights At Freddy’s 2 (UK)

March 16/17

• Jurassic Park (new 4K re-release with Dolby Vision and Atmos) (US)
• The Lost World (new 4K re-release with Dolby Vision and Atmos) (US)
• Jurassic Park III (new 4K re-release with Dolby Vision and Atmos) (US)
• Jurassic World (new 4K re-release with Dolby Vision and Atmos) (US)
• Ray (US)
• Fade To Black (UK)
• Spaceballs (UK)
• Anaconda (2025) (US) (UK release, March 22)
• The Housemaid (US) (UK release, March 30)

March 23/24

• Ben-Hur (UK)
• Cutter’s Way
• Killers Of The Flower Moon (US)
• Hail, Caesar! (US)
• A Bridge Too Far (US)

March 30/31

• Marty Supreme (US)
• Salem’s Lot (1979)
• The Gambler (1974) (US)
• Hard Boiled (UK)

Amazingly, next year is the 50th anniversary of Star Wars, as the original movie (A New Hope) was first released in theaters on May 25, 1977. While it has become an entertainment juggernaut, spawning movies, TV shows, video games, toys — heck, just about everything — the original trilogy remains the most popular and nostalgic part of this legendary franchise.

Star Wars is a big part of my life, as I’m not only a fan but I also regularly use scenes from across the Star Wars universe to test the best TVs and best soundbars. The throne room lightsaber fight in Star Wars: The Last Jedi is a feast for the eyes, while the Death Star attack run in Star Wars A New Hope is a wonderful audio test, especially with Dolby Atmos.

For physical media collectors, myself included, Star Wars (and all its movies and TV shows) have been released in just about every format you can think of, from VHS to 4K Blu-ray and beyond: and there’s a new release (or re-release) on the horizon. Outlets such as Gizmodo and Comic Book Resources have noted that an advert on Amazon US suggests the infamous Special Edition versions of the original trilogy (first released in 1997) are coming to Blu-ray in April 2026.

The Special Editions were George Lucas’ ‘true vision’ and featured new scenes and CGI implementations, most notably the Jabba The Hutt and Han Solo scene in Mos Eisley (which was cut from the original 1977 version). To say these changes were divisive is an understatement. People mainly took issue with the random, distracting CGI creatures shoe-horned into scenes.

With this new release (re-release) of the Special Editions coming to Blu-ray, it has once again shone a light on what fans really want: the original cut on 4K.

Just give us what we want, Disney

As both a Star Wars and 4K Blu-ray fan, I, like many of my nerd family, have been clamoring for a 4K Blu-ray release of the theatrical cut of the original Star Wars trilogy. No CGI, no extra scenes, no screwed-around-with edits: the original cut. (And ideally I’d like it with upscaled textures, some lovely Dolby Vision HDR and a full-fat Dolby Atmos soundtrack, thanks.)

The original trilogy, along with the rest of the ‘Skywalker Saga’, is already available on 4K Blu-ray and 4K streaming. While these do look and sound great, with the Dolby Vision and Atmos flavors I asked for above, these are again edited from the original cut and contain all the padding most Star Wars fans don’t want.

For any non-Star Wars fans reading and wondering why the original trilogy’s cuts haven’t been released, you can (allegedly) thank George Lucas. Reportedly, as part of the sale terms to Disney in 2012, the original, theatrical cut for Star Wars was never to be released on home media: only Lucas’ edited version. As Lucas himself said in 2024: “Sorry you saw half a completed film and fell in love with it, but I want it to be the way I want it to be”. Damnit, George.

It’s gotten to the stage where fans are so rabid for the original cut that some have made what is referred to as ‘despecialized editions’ of the original trilogy, most famous of which is Harmy’s Despecialized Edition from 2011, in which the picture and audio improvements have stayed but all the CGI edits have been removed. The issue is, these editions are very rare and expensive. Anyone wanting the original trilogy on Blu-ray or 4K has to stick with the various cuts from the Special Editions onward. Or so we thought.

A New Hope (literally)

In June 2025, a ballot of BFI members went to a screening of the original cut of Star Wars: A New Hope, remastered and restored. And it’s now been confirmed on Star Wars official website that the original movie, in its theatrical cut glory, will be getting a run in theaters in 2027, first releasing February 19, to celebrate 50 years of the original. Huzzah!

While this isn’t the news of a physical media release I was hoping for, it’s a step in the right direction. We thought the original cut would never see the light of day again, but here it is — even if it is a ‘limited run’. But that’s not the only news.

At the tail end of 2025, several screenshots and video clips of Star Wars being remastered in 4K were leaked onto Imgur (as you’d expect, these are now long gone). This sent places like Reddit into a frenzy, with fans in this thread from r/blurayboutique hoping this was the news of a 4K home release we’d been waiting for.

Cut to 2026 and these could have been leaks from the announced 50th Anniversary theatrical run, but what if they weren’t? What if it was from a planned 4K Blu-ray release? What if Disney has finally decided to say, 'screw George Lucas, let's give Star Wars fans what they’ve been after?'

We’re all looking to new President of Star Wars Dave Feloni, a confessed Star Wars fan who’s worked on projects such as the excellent Star Wars: The Clone Wars cartoon, for answers on a 4K Blu-ray theatrical cut release. Help us Dave Feloni: you’re our only hope.

• A Clever design makes Xgimi's new projector disappear
• 1080p image with 510 ISO Lumens
• Around $248 / £185 / AU$350 based on its price in China

Xgimi has launched a new budget projector, the Z6X, with a clever bit of design: its integrated gimbal stand enables you to hide the projector bit by turning it upwards so it blends in with the rectangular frame.

The design is practical as well as effective: it covers the front and back of the projector for traveling, and means that when you're not using it, it just looks like an object on your shelf.

Although Xgimi describes this as a portable projector, it doesn't have a built-in battery (like the impressive Xgimi MoGo 4) , but provided you're going somewhere with a power outlet, it looks like a bag-friendly and lightweight option.

It's roughly the size of an iPad at around nine inches wide, eight inches tall and two and a half inches deep. It weighs 1.1kg (2.4lbs).

Xgimi Z6X 5th Generation projector: key features

The Xgimi Z6X is a DLP model capable of a claimed 510 ISO Lumens of brightness and a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. It has a throw ratio of 1.2: 1 and 124% coverage of the Rec.709 color space.

The integrated gimbal stand makes it easy to adjust the projector's tilt, and it has a range of 150 degrees so you can move between wall and ceiling projection.

Most of the specifications are only currently listed in Chinese, so I'm grateful to Notebookcheck.net for translating: it has HDMI 2.1 with eARC, USB and twin 3W speakers with Dolby Audio support.

The operating system is Xgimi's own GMUI 6.0 (likely to switch to Google TV if it launches in the UK and US, based on our experience with Xgimi's products) with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections. It also integrates with Xiaomi's smart home system. Automation includes automatic focus and keystone correction.

We don't yet know if the Z6X is launching outside China, but it's likely: the very similar but slightly less bright 400 Lumen Xgimi Elfin Flip is available through the likes of Amazon and directly from Xgimi – although it looks like US and Australian customers will pay a premium if the Z6X does indeed come to those countries: while the Elfin Flip retails for around £289 (AU$545) and sometimes even less in the UK, Xgimi Australia sells it for AU$999 and Xgimi US charges $999.

The Xgimi Z6X is currently listed on Xgimi's Chinese website for 元1,705. That's roughly $248 / £185 / AU$350 before taxes or tariffs at today's exchange rates.

Welcome to another edition of the Blu-ray Bounty, where I'll look at the latest 4K releases from February 2026 (UK release dates) and seeing whether they’re worthy of joining your collection.

If this is your first time reading the Blu-ray Bounty, you can check out previous editions in that link. In last month’s article, the January 2026 Blu-ray Bounty, I looked at Tron: Ares, Captain Blood, Dead Man, Yi Yi, The Dead and Black Phone 2.

4K Blu-ray is a big deal for us here at TechRadar. It’s one of our main sources for testing the picture quality of the best TVs, thanks to its higher bitrate compared to 4K streaming, and for testing the sound quality of said TVs. We also use it to test the best soundbars, thanks to its uncompressed soundtracks.

For most of this month’s titles, I’ll be using our reference setup. Our display is the LG G5, one of the best OLED TVs of 2025; the Panasonic DP-UB820, the best 4K Blu-ray player on the market, and finally the Samsung HW-Q990C, Samsung’s 2023 flagship 11.1.4 channel, multi-box system.

As usual, we won’t be reviewing the movies themselves, just the picture and audio quality of each 4K disc to see whether it’s going to give your home theater system a real chance to show off.

Lawrence of Arabia (Sony)

One of cinema’s most iconic epics, Lawrence Of Arabia tells the story of T. E. Lawrence (played by Peter O’Toole in the movie), a former British army officer and his time in the Ottoman Empire during WWI. Alec Guinness also stars as Prince Faisal.

From the very get-go, it’s easy to see why this has been a popular release: this 4K Blu-ray Lawrence of Arabia is stunning. Presented in Dolby Vision, the sheer majesty and scope of the movie’s cinematography is accurately delivered with breathtaking detail. Epic landscape shots reveal intricate textures, while close-ups of characters show weather-beaten skin and Lawrence’s sand-coated hair down to the finest margin.

The blue of the sky and the the red sashes of some of Faisal’s men are bold, vibrant and deep. Even night-time sequences demonstrate superb shadow detail, with rich black tones. Bright TVs will thrive with lighter tones, such as Lawrence’s iconic white uniform, which really shines.

Contrast is also powerful, with a great balance between light and dark tones in high-contrast scenes, such the capture of Aqaba. Cinephiles will also be pleased with the amount of film grain present.

There are plenty of audio soundtrack options to choose from on this disc, with both Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD MA 5.1 included. The Atmos soundtrack is spacious and detailed, delivering Maurice Jarre’s legendary score with all the gusto and scale you could wish for.

Elsewhere, speech is crystal clear and other effects, such as ricocheting bullets, the trotting of camel’s feet and even the wind are pinpoint and accurately mapped to the action on screen. Even bass is incredibly hefty, with the ambush on the train at the start of disc two (yes, this is a two-disc movie) delivering huge rumble from the explosions and machine gun fire.

Minority Report (20th Century Studios)

Minority Report, loosely based on a Philips K. Dick novella, follows 'precrime' — a police division that apprehends murderers before they commit the crime — led by detective John Anderton (Tom Cruise), who finds himself facing the prediction that he'll commit a murder of a man he's never met. The movie also stars Colin Farrell, Max von Sydow and Samantha Morton.

Steven Spielberg’s semi-dystopian thriller finally gets the 4K HDR upgrade that fans have been waiting for, and it’s been worth it. Despite the movie being made with color grading and noise that seems almost intentionally designed to go against the crispness and brightness of modern screens, it looks stunning.

That’s partly because, although the palette and tones are muted, there are moments of dazzling brightness. Highlights especially have been intentionally crushed into white tones that really shine off the screen, in careful contrast to the murkier elements. And the tone depth of Dolby Vision helps the darker scenes to retain a ton of detail among the difficult shady areas on-screen.

And although there’s a haze of intentional grain across everything, the sharpness of film does often shine through — this is where the high bitrate of Blu-ray is an advantage, so you have both noise and texture overlapping.

I was actually a little surprised to see that the soundtrack is in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 rather than Dolby Atmos, because the effects in it are extremely immersive. In the jetpack fight scene and the escape along the magnetic car highway, there’s really precise and specific spatial movement, and plenty of feeling of height despite no official height channels. Minority Report looks excellent, but the audio is probably its best feature.

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere (20th Century Studios)

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere is a biopic starring Jeremy Allen White as musician Bruce Springsteen, focusing particularly on the writing and recording of Springsteen’s 1982 album Nebraska, an acoustic album that broke the mould of Springsteen’s previous and following albums.

Where else to start but with audio? The movie’s Dolby Atmos soundtrack really shines during musical sequences, particularly concerts. The Atmos mixes of some of Springsteen’s most classic tracks thrive — Born To Run in the opening scenes delivers soaring vocals, thunderous drums, mighty horns and driving guitars that feel big, bold and authentic. Even in the quieter, acoustic moments, the soundtrack sounds delicate and intricate with each aspect given plenty of room to breathe.

As you’d expect from a modern movie on 4K, this is a good-looking movie. There’s plenty of great-looking high-contrast scenes where bold lights balance with dark backgrounds, such as the concerts themselves and the neon sign of the diner at night.

Textures are crisp and clean, with plenty of refined detail in clothing, faces and even instruments. Colors are true-to-life and bolder hues, such as the neon signs, have plenty of pop.

Bugonia (Universal Pictures)

Bugonia — starring Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons and Aiden Delbis — tells the story of two men who kidnap a CEO, believing she is an alien who's part of a great conspiracy to manipulate the human race. It's a remake of the 2003 Korean movie Save The Green Planet!, it's directed by Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things, The Favorite), and it's the second movie here involving a bald Oscar-favorite actress covered in white goo.

Bugonia looks great on 4K Blu-ray. Colors are both rich and natural throughout, from the lush greens of the grass around Teddy’s house to the saturated, bright reds of blood throughout different parts of the movie. There’s some nice, strong contrast as well, with good brightness and inky blacks.

Textures are authentic, particularly in close-up shots of people’s faces, showing real detail in places such as Teddy’s ragged beard and Fuller’s smooth skin.

The 4K Blu-ray has a Dolby Atmos soundtrack that's perfect for delivering the movie’s often tense and foreboding score. Whether it’s the scratching violins or deep, humming bass tones, the Atmos soundtrack envelops you. Other effects such as the swarming bees sound precise and well-mapped, with more violent moments sounding disturbingly visceral and clear.

Predator: Badlands (Universal Pictures)

The latest entry in the Predator universe, it tells the story of Dek (played by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), a Yautja exiled from his planet, who must prove himself by hunting a predator on another planet. Here, he forms an alliance with Thia (played by Elle Fanning), an android.

Predator: Badlands looks as you’d expect for a modern, sci-fi/action movie. There’s nice crisp textures with plenty of detail, from the parts in weapons to the Yautja’s faces. The reds of the laser weaponry used by Dek has a nice vibrancy to it, delivering great highlights in some scenes. Elsewhere, colors such as the green of the forest look convincing. There are plenty of dark scenes that demonstrate great shadow depth, as well as powerful contrast when lights punch through.

This is another great example of an action-packed Dolby Atmos soundtrack. During fight scenes, punches have plenty of impact, drawing out some meaty bass. Surround-sound effects such gunfire, cracking branches and all the various creatures of the planet ticking and screeching will really show off each speaker in your setup, delivered with clarity and detail.

Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii MCMLXXII (Sony)

Recorded in 1971, Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii MCMLXXII is a concert film that sees the band perform some of their early hits in an abandoned amphitheater in Pompeii. The full feature film, which also features studio sessions of as-yet-unreleased tracks such as Us and Them, is included, but you can also watch just the Pompeii concert itself.

There are three audio tracks to choose from here: 2.0 uncompressed stereo LCPM, Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and Dolby Atmos (which is only available in the feature film, and is new). While all three sound excellent, it’s the Atmos track that shines. The spacious nature of Atmos is perfect for Pink Floyd’s music, giving it extra layers.

In A Saucerful of Secrets, the organs and lead guitar balance perfectly and there’s a real room-filling soundstage. Bass is tightly controlled and precise, with the bass guitar and drums delivered with real control.

Even in more chaotic sections such as Careful With That Axe, Eugene, the Atmos soundtrack again allows the thrashing instruments to breathe, meaning every one can be picked out. In the more psychedelic tracks, like Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun, the tom-toms on the drumkit work seamlessly with the crescendoing guitar and spacey keyboards to create an engaging and dynamic sound.

I obviously expected this disc to sound amazing, but as a surprise bonus it also looks absolutely stunning. Meticulously restored from the original 35mm footage, the movie’s striking imagery has been restored beautifully and accurately, somehow looking both modern and classic at the same time.

Close-up shots of instruments and the band show just how crisp detail is, how refined textures are, and even demonstrate bold colors wherever they pop up, such as the gold of the Sennheiser microphones used throughout.

Westworld (Arrow Video)

Directed and written by Michael Crichton (author of Jurassic Park), Westworld tells the story of an amusement park split into three separate worlds — Westworld, Medieval World and Roman World — that are filled with androids that guests can interact with as they see fit. Problems soon arise as the androids begin to malfunction. The movie stars James Brolin as John, Richard Benjamin as Peter, and Yul Brenner as the Gunslinger.

Arrow Video’s 4K restoration of Westworld is excellent. Textures are extremely clean, with skin appearing natural, and more small-scale details such as the parts of a gun that Peter swings around looking clear and refined.

Colors are rich with a real boldness in places, such as the green of John’s shirt or the bright red walls of the brothel. Black tones are deep, and there are a few scenes that showcase strong contrast. There's a nice amount of film grain present, though less so than in some other movies I’ve seen.

There are a few soundtrack options on offer, including 4.0, 2.0, 1.0 and 5.1. The 5.1 soundtrack is more spacious, with a wider soundstage and a more natural sound profile. Sounds like ricocheting bullets are accurately mapped between my soundbar and the picture. Speech is clearly presented throughout as well.

Dogma - 25th Anniversary (Vision Home Media)

Dogma, directed by Kevin Smith, stars Ben Affleck and Matt Damon as Bartleby and Loki, two fallen angels cast out from Heaven by God who try to find a loophole in Catholic Dogma to return to Heaven. They are pursued by angels and a descendent of Jesus to stop them. The movie also stars Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith as Jay and Silent Bob, and also features Alan Rickman, George Carlin, Chris Rock and more. This 4K release has been out for a while in the US, but we’re only just getting it here in the UK.

For its 25th Anniversary 4K release, Vision Home Media has done a solid job bringing Dogma to Ultra HD. Textures are crisp and clean, and this restoration really breathes new life into this movie. There’s no Dolby Vision support, but HDR colors throughout the movie still have a rich vibrancy, such as the green forests by the highway. Dark tones are nice and deep, especially Alan Rickman’s hair and jacket, but also look accurate — plus there’s great contrast in darker environments like the bar where Rufus hangs out.

The main soundtrack option here is a DTS-HD 5.1 MA soundtrack. While there aren’t a ton of scenes to really show off your speakers, the soundtrack delivers clear speech throughout, which is well balanced with the score. Any slapstick moments such as explosions, gunshots or flames are delivered with a decent impact too. Interestingly, the UK version doesn’t support the Dolby Atmos soundtrack that the US version does, so I can't speak to that.

• Triple-laser RGB with 5,000 nits of brightness
• Screen sizes from 80 to 300 inches
• It'll set you back £5,999 (about $8,085 / AU$11,465)

Optoma has launched a new flagship 4K projector, the UHZ78LV. It sits above the UHZ68LV, which was released last year, and represents an upgrade over that model thanks to its triple-laser RGB system, among other enhancements.

Designed for screens from 80 to 300 inches, the UHZ78LV comes with 5,000 lumens of peak brightness and supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and IMAX Enhanced.

The triple-laser system is even more accurate than the dual-laser UHZ68LZ, with DCI-P3 color coverage of 98% compared to the 90% of the older model. Now, that's what I call a home theater upgrade.

Optoma UHZ78LV: key features and pricing

The projector features Optoma's PureEngine Ultra image processing system, which offers a filmmaker mode and ISF calibration options for cinephiles who want to see movies as the director and cinematographer intended.

It should be good for gaming too, with HDMI 2.1 and input lag as low as 8.5ms at 1080p/240Hz resolution.

In addition to the DCI-P3 coverage there's up to 96% BT.2020 color accuracy, and dynamic contrast delivers a ratio of up to 4,500,000:1.

The HDMI has eARC support and Dolby Atmos passthrough for connection to external AV receivers and sound systems, and there's a motorized 1.6x zoom, lens shift and 360-degree projection for flexible installation. The laser is rated for 30,000 hours of life.

Optoma has confirmed to TechRadar that the projector will have a UK list price of £5,999. We don't have confirmed pricing for the US or Australia, but that works at out about $8,085 / AU$11,465 — and we'll update this article as we get more details.

If you’re a seasoned 4K Blu-ray collector, or even if you’re just getting started, you may have noticed that sometimes there are multiple versions of the same movie available. Often the differences can be as simple as a few new special features, or even just new packaging; sometimes however, it’s worth looking a little deeper.

As part of our Blu-ray Bounty feature, where we review the latest 4K Blu-ray releases each month, I tested The Warriors: Collector’s Edition. At first, I thought it was just new packaging with some cool new stickers, posters, and a new case. But upon closer inspection, I noted that it was in fact Paramount’s — the original distributor of the movie — own 4K restoration and not the Arrow Video version that I had in my own collection.

So, I decided to fire up my trusty testing setup — the LG G5, one of 2025’s best OLED TVs, the Samsung HW-Q990C, an 11.1.4-channel surround-sound soundbar system, and finally the Panasonic DP-UB820, the best 4K Blu-ray player on the market — to see if there were any differences between the two versions. I chose three different scenes from the movie, analyzing all three on both discs.

Opening scene

In the opening scene of The Warriors, there are a ton of bold colors on display from the various different gang’s uniforms as they make their way to the meeting point. There’s also plenty of deep blacks of the New York night, plus some nice high-contrast scenes as the lights of train platforms and subway trains cut through the pitch-black surroundings — and who can forget the iconic opening shot of the Wonder Wheel’s neon sign.

The first image below is of the bright-yellow uniform of one of the Electric Eliminators’ jackets, with the Arrow version on the left and the Paramount version on the right:

As you can see, there isn’t a huge difference, but the Arrow version has more color depth overall. It appears a little bit richer, whereas the Paramount version has a little more brightness, shown by the overhead light in the corner. Both demonstrate good color pop thanks to their Dolby Vision support.

Next up is a darker scene, as a subway train moves towards the camera:

Interestingly, in this scene, both versions have very similar brightness and both demonstrate similarly deep black levels. The real differences come in more subtle parts of the picture, such as the edge of the subway platform. On the Paramount version, these platform edges appear sharper, whereas the Arrow version appears smoother and more true-to-life.

The next part of this scene is where The Warriors themselves first get onto the subway train:

The biggest difference here is in the skin tones, particularly of Swan’s arm (the character most central on screen). In the Paramount version, skin tones appear to have a more red tint to them, whereas they appear more true-to-life on the Arrow version. The actual textures on screen appear more neutral and accurate in the Arrow version. This scene also shows that the Arrow version maintains more film grain than the Paramount version.

Park and Baseball Furies scene

Moving onto a later scene in the movie, where The Warriors first encounter and fight the Baseball Furies in a park, this scene demonstrates more bold colors and high contrast, with the street lights contrasting with the darkness of the park. Below is a still of one of the Baseball Furies

This shot is the closest the two versions have looked. The yellow face paint of the Baseball Fury is punchy and accurate in both shots, and there's good contrast between the white uniform and blackened stains on it. The black stains look marginally deeper on the Arrow version, while the whites of the uniform are marginally brighter on the Paramount version.

Elsewhere in this park scene, both versions deliver strong contrast, with the street lamps contrasting well with the deep blacks of the park, but again the Arrow delivers richer blacks which look more accurate, while the Paramount appears brighter with slightly more vivid highlights from the street lamps.

Both versions deliver natural greens, which have a nice vibrant pop to them throughout the scene as well, although again the Arrow version has that slightly richer color tone, which also looks more accurate.

Daytime scene

The final scene I analyzed was the one daytime scene in the movie, where The Warriors finally arrive back at Coney Island. This scene shows them walking through the rundown looking fun fair.

Interestingly again, there's very little difference between these two shots. The reds within the scene appear slightly more vivid on the Paramount version, while the Arrow again looks natural. Both deliver a nice brightness with controlled white and gray tones, although this also shows off the Paramount version’s slightly sharper textures.

Better sound makes a difference

While picture quality in multiple scenes across both discs shows are only subtle differences, and both versions do look great, where the real difference comes is in the provided soundtrack. The Arrow version carries a full Dolby Atmos soundtrack, whereas the Paramount version comes with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mix.

Using several different scenes once again, it’s clear that the Arrow Atmos soundtrack is superior. In a fight scene where The Warriors fight The Punks in a subway bathroom, the Arrow Atmos soundtrack sounded more spacious and delivered a much wider soundstage. This meant more subtle effects such as dragging feet or a switchblade flicking open were more detailed compared to the Paramount version, where some of this was lost.

Punches had good impact in both versions, but again Arrow’s felt more natural, whereas the Paramount version opted for sheer volume. Speech was also clearer in the Arrow version, picking up more voices. The balance between the upbeat score and the fight’s sound effects was better on the Arrow version as well, with some effects getting lost in the Paramount mix.

Heading back to the opening scene, where the iconic main theme plays, the Arrow version gives the track a much bigger sound. The thumping drums are delivered well on both soundtracks, but again the Paramount’s mix goes for power, and it can be a little heavy handed. The crunchy guitars and sweeping synths again feel more natural on the Arrow version, as the track sounds much cleaner.

Looking at other sound effects in the opening scene, as the subway train travels across the screen, the sound feels more accurately mapped to the HW-Q990C soundbar in the Arrow Atmos mix. It’s nice and precise, whereas the Paramount version is still accurate but doesn’t feel as controlled.

This is the one big area of difference between these two discs, and if you're looking for the better 4K Blu-ray, then the Arrow version is best. If you’re in the UK and want to opt for the cheaper Paramount version, it's still an excellent 4K restoration: it’s just a shame about the missing Atmos soundtrack.

• 2025 LG C5, G5 and CS5 models can now work as Dolby Atmos FlexConnect hubs
• Full compatibility with LG Sound Suite wireless speakers and sub
• Supports 22 configurations of speakers and subwoofers

LG has upgraded its 2025 C5, CS5 and G5 TVs to support Dolby Atmos FlexConnect as a hub, working with LG's new Sound Suite speakers, which enables you to put your speakers pretty much anywhere in the room and still get accurate audio positioning as if you had them in the normal surround sound positions at the front and rear.

The update brings Dolby Atmos FlexConnect to the three models, enabling them to connect directly to the Sound Suite M5 and M7 wireless speakers and the W7 subwoofer, combining the TV's speakers with the other speakers. As FlexConnect hubs, the TVs analyze the audio from the speakers and adjusting their output so they sound good no matter where you've placed them – I'll explain more about FlexConnect in a moment.

The one downside is even though Dolby Atmos FlexConnect will be available on speakers from multiple manufacturers, LG's TVs will only work as hubs with LG's compatible speakers.

What is FlexConnect?

Dolby Atmos FlexConnect – you need the full name as there's an unrelated system called FlexConnect in wireless networking is essentially a kind of room calibration for more flexible home theater audio where you don't need to worry about where you've placed the speakers.

Wireless speakers broadcast their location to the hub so it can adjust timings and frequencies to deliver accurate spatial audio positioning. In theory that means you can put your speakers anywhere at all and still get correct positioning of sound objects in Dolby Atmos soundtracks and music.

LG says that there are up to 22 possible configurations with one of the compatible TVs and its M5/M7 speakers and W7 subwoofer – you can have up to four speakers, plus the subwoofer.

What does that mean in practice? It means you can have a surround sound setup that's as big, or small, or weird as you like, so for example you might have just one rear speaker instead of two, or have multiple speakers on the left because that's where you have shelving. FlexConnect will identify where they are and configure its output accordingly to create cohesize whole sound.

LG has gone big on Dolby Atmos FlexConnect but other firms are getting involved too: TCL was the first big name to unveil a FlexConnect product, the TCL Z100 speaker system, and since this is a Dolby technology we should see more brands getting on board – but as I mentioned above, LG told TechRadar that it only has plans to support its own speakers.

I haven't heard FlexConnect yet but my colleague Matt Bolton has, and he tells me it sounds fantastic. This is definitely an audio tech to keep your eye (and ears) on: while there are currently only a few products to choose from their numbers should increase considerably in the coming months.

Here at TechRadar, we love 4K Blu-ray. It’s one of our primary sources for testing the best TVs and the best soundbars and some of us are collectors ourselves, always keeping our eyes peeled on the latest releases.

The list of new 4K releases seems to be growing each month, which is great news for 4K Blu-ray fans. While it’ll be a difficult task to cover every single release, I’d like to highlight the releases that I’m most looking forward to set for release this month, February 2026.

I’m hoping I can get all of these discs in for testing as part of the Blu-ray Bounty, our monthly feature where we test the latest 4K Blu-ray discs, analyzing their picture and audio quality to see how they can let your home theater system flex its muscles. Below, I’ve picked the four discs I’m most excited for.

A quick note: I’m based in the UK so some of these titles may already be available in some regions or have different release dates.

Lawrence of Arabia (1962) - Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

One of cinema’s most legendary epics, Lawrence of Arabia is the biographical story of T. E. Lawrence (played by Peter O’Toole in the movie), a real life British army officer and his exploits in the Ottoman Empire during World War I.

Lawrence of Arabia is a breathtaking movie with some of the most incredible cinematography ever put to film. Filmed on 70mm, this is sure to look staggering in 4K. In fact, it has been released on 4K Blu-ray before, as part of the Colombia Collection which is now out of print and the 60th Anniversary release which is near-impossible to get hold of. I’ve only read on forums about how it’s a must-have on 4K, so I’m excited to see it in person.

While it’s unclear what soundtrack this comes with, Maurice Jarre’s score is again one of cinema’s most iconic. I’m hoping for a Dolby Atmos or at the very least a DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix to really capture the sweeping, glorious nature of the score.

• Release dates:
• US - February 10, 2026
• UK - February 9, 2026

Minority Report (2002) - Paramount Pictures

Based on Philips K. Dick’s novella of the same name, Minority Report stars Tom Cruise as John Anderton, a member of the ‘Precrime’ division that uses three psychic beings called ‘precogs’ to predict and prevent future crimes.

Visually, Minortiy Report is an interesting movie. While there are some visually striking moments, the film is very grainy and has quite a murky, neutral color profile. Plus, there are plenty of early-2000’s CGI shots to contend with. I’ll be interested to see how this translates to 4K, though I’ve read in forums that it is quite the visual feast.

An action-packed sci-fi blockbuster like Minority Report is sure to have plenty of moments to show off your speaker system. The 4K disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 MA soundtrack (the same used in the Blu-ray) and while it’s shame there’s Dolby Atmos here (especially as scenes with rain, jet packs and flying cars are featured), I’m hoping it’ll do the movie justice.

• Release date:
• UK - February 2, 2026
• US - December 9, 2025

Predator: Badlands (2025) - 20th Century Studios

The latest entry in the Predator franchise, Predator: Badlands tells the story of Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) , an outcast Yautja who must prove himself worthy of his clan by hunting down an adversary on an alien planet. He finds an unlikely ally in Thia (Elle Fanning), a Weyland-Yutani android.

Recent Alien and Predator movies have looked excellent, so I’m anticipating Badlands to translate well to 4K Blu-ray. I’m hoping it has plenty of detail and contrast, along with sharp textures.

As you’d expect from another action-packed, sci-fi movie, I think this is going to be another great disc for showing off your home theater system. There are plenty of battle sequences with hard-hitting bass and impact that are sure to give your system a workout.

• Release dates:
• US - February 17, 2026
• UK - February 23, 2026

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere (2025) - 20th Century Studios

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere is a biopic of Bruce Springsteen (played by Jeremy Allen White), focusing on the story around Springsteen’s recording of his Nebraska album, where Springsteen diverted from his bold, rock sound in favor of a solo acoustic sound.

As a Springsteen fan, I may be a little biased about this disc. I’ve already listened to Springsteen's music in Dolby Atmos and have been truly blown away by how glorious it can sound. Looking at the movie’s stacked tracklist, featuring classics such as ‘Born to Run’, ‘Atlantic City’ and ‘I’m On Fire’ (all performed by White in the movie), I’m eagerly awaiting when I can test the 4K Blu-ray’s soundtrack through our reference Samsung HW-Q990C soundbar.

Visually, I’m expecting this to be another good-looking, contemporary 4K Blu-ray. I was pleasantly surprised by how visually impressive the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown (2024) looked, with some superb color reproduction. Hopefully Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere can do the same.

• Release dates:
• UK - February 2, 2026
• US - January 20, 2026

4K Blu-ray release dates - February 2026

The list of dates below are a mix of US and UK, with the region of release indicated. Some titles will have already been released in other regions, or are coming later in the year.

February 2/3

• Minority Report
• Friday the 13th Part II (US)
• 3:10 To Yuma (1957) (US)
• Keeper (US)
• Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere (UK)
• Dogma (UK)
• House Party (Criterion)

February 9/10

• Lawrence of Arabia
• Se7en (Standard edition)
• The Big Heat (US)
• PlayTime
• Birth (Criterion) (UK)
• Puss In Boots (UK)
• Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (UK)

February 16/17

• Bugonia (UK)
• Ben-Hur (US)
• All The President's Men
• A Beautiful Mind (US)
• Now You See Me, Now You Don’t (US)
• Small Soldiers (US)
• Double Impact (23rd February UK)
• Predator: Badlands (23rd February UK)
• Mean Girls (US)

February 23/24

• Excalibur
• Somewhere In Time (US)
• Westworld (1973)
• Network (Criterion Collection) (US)
• The Man Who Wasn’t There (Criterion) (US)
• The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (1983) (US)
• Tank Girl (US)

• Cinema-grade and consumer formats in a single video wall
• 14.8.8-channel surround sound with advanced processing
• See and hear it at ISE 2026 in Barcelona

At the Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) show in Barecelona, there's a spectacular home theater setup created by the AV equivalent of The Avengers: Ascendo, Barco Residential, StormAudio, PrimeTheater and Technology Integration Partners have teamed up to present the Luxury Immersion Cinema to reveal "what's possible when cinema-level video standards and uncompromising immersive audio are combined in a luxury home environment."

The visuals are handled by Barco Residential's Runar LED video wall, pictured below. It has a 0.9mm pixel pitch and Native DCI 4K resolution of 4096x2160, and its micro-LED display delivers 100,000:1 contrast, 0.005cd/m² black levels, full DCI-P3 color coverage, and 300 nits of brightness at DCI-grade HDR, rising to 500 nits for consumer HDR.

That, Barco says, enables it to deliver both cinema-grade content and consumer formats in the same residential setup.

This isn't your standard surround sound setup

Micro-LED walls are brilliant, but they also present some issues for the audio: you can't hide speakers behind the screen, unlike projector screens, so that means getting accurate spatial positioning can be tricky.

In the Luxury Immersion Cinema, the audio is a 14.8.8-channel Ascendo system made specifically for LED video applications. Its speakers are designed to fit around the display while preserving front-channel localization and cinematic realism.

The sound system uses Ascendo's latest speaker, the THE8 Pro Passive LED Wedge. Six of these three-way wedge-shaped speakers handle the front channels, while THE10 Passive Wedge 30, THE10 Passive On Wall and THE10 Passive LED Phantom speakers take care of the side, overhead and rear channels.

Low-end thump comes courtesy of eight (yep, eight) THE28 Sub Pro Squared subwoofers and eight A1A1-10K2 IS infrasonic amps.

It's the sonic equivalent of a swan: while it may seem serene on the surface, there's a lot of activity going on that you can't see thanks to StormAudio's Elite 32 Analog system. The sound system uses advanced calibration and spatial mapping to deliver coherent audio/video, compensating for the physical distance between the front channels.

According to PrimeTheater's Helder Martins, whose company designed and constructed the installation, "“This is more than a technology demo. It is a masterclass in modern residential cinema, giving integrators a clear vision of how DCI-grade LED video and immersive audio designed for LED, in concert with a room built for performance, raise expectations for what luxury home theaters can – and should –deliver."

The Luxury Immersion Cinema is at stand 2J500 at ISE 2026 this week, 3 to 6 February.