Tag: Television

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This super-cheap Sony soundbar is one of the best budget options I’ve ever tested

Sony HT-SF150 review If you’ve decided it’s time to upgrade your sub-par TV audio, but don’t want to lose your life savings, the Sony HT-SF150 could be your ideal low-budget solution. This super-slim 2.0 channel soundbar aims to supply “punchy bass without compromising detail and clarity”, simple connectivity and cinematic virtual surround sound – but does it get the job done? Well, let’s kick things off by talking about setup. It really doesn’t get much easier than this: simply connect your soundbar via HDMI ARC or digital optical, plug it into a power outlet and you’re away. I selected HDMI ARC mainly because it allows you to adjust the soundbar’s volume with a standard TV remote – pretty handy. After getting the Sony HT-SF150 all set up, I got straight into testing its audio capabilities. I’m happy to report that it fared very well for a soundbar that’s often available for less than its already cheap $129 / £99 / AU$194 list price. I didn’t encounter much tinniness or distortion, even at medium to high volumes – something I’ve experienced with a lot of cheap soundbars. Speaking of volume, this thing can get surprisingly loud, in part thanks to its 120W power output, which is considerably higher than what some of the best cheap soundbars offer. (Image credit: Future) Staying with sound, I was impressed by dialogue clarity when using the Sony HT-SF150. For instance, I watched the movie Smile on Netflix and, when two women were speaking in an isolated room, the vocals were super clear and each character’s tone sounded natural. When listening to a podcast, I could switch to Voice mode using the included remote, which really brings speech to the forefront and presents it in a crisp, clear-cut manner. In addition to Voice, there are Standard, Cinema, Music, Night and Auto Sound modes. That last mode tunes EQ depending on what content you’re consuming, though sometimes I still needed to do this manually. Another glowing aspect of this soundbar’s performance is the effectiveness of Sony’s S-Force Front Surround virtual processing, which endeavors to emulate “cinema-style surround sound.” That may be a bit of a stretch for a soundbar with no Dolby Atmos or DTS:X, let alone any sub or rear speakers, but, while watching The Boy and the Heron, I was struck by the soundbar’s ability to accurately map the heron’s flight as he soared across my screen and then towards me. You won’t get incredible verticality or room-filling expansiveness here, but the HT-SF150 certainly outclassed my TV’s efforts. (Image credit: Future) One area where a lot of standalone soundbars fall flat is bass output – it can be hard to muster a meaty boom without a dedicated subwoofer – especially in a budget model like this. And although the HT-SF150 won’t rock your world with mesmerizing low-end output, it still plates up decent bass. This model includes a built-in bass reflex speaker, which gives a leg up to deep tones and makes it ideal for movies or video games with dark or ambient scores. When playing Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, I was met with impressive depth as the protagonist Cloud faced oversized mechanical monstrosities with thumping footsteps and ground-shaking attacks. I would’ve liked an option to raise bass levels manually to really enhance low-end output, but you won’t get that, unfortunately. In some places, this game includes speech from the main cast, chatter from background characters or enemies and music from its grandiose soundtrack. This exposed a slight weakness in the Sony HT-SF150 – it sometimes leans into a slightly muddied presentation. When there are several layers to balance out, you may experience some business in the mid-range. There’s no abrasiveness or harshness to endure, just a bit of bloating that can leave some details under wraps. (Image credit: Future) You’re probably not expecting perfectly separated, ultra-detailed audio, so for the most part, the HT-SF150 performs well in this department. But sound isn’t the only positive part of this model, I also loved its design. Really, this soundbar looks a lot more premium than many of its budget counterparts. It has a beautiful leather-like finish on top, classy onboard buttons, and an attractive wraparound speaker grille. The included remote is slim with well-sized button controls and a premium feel. Unfortunately, some features can only be triggered by repeatedly pressing certain buttons on the remote, which can be a bit confusing unless you consult the user manual. The only frustrating aspect of this soundbar’s design is its LED display. As with competitors like the Panasonic SC-HTB100, this thing just uses small lights to indicate volume and sound mode alterations or when it’s in Bluetooth mode. This works fine, but I do prefer a more visual display with letters and numbers – something you get with the Majority Elias, for instance. (Image credit: Future) Back to the positives, though. I found this soundbar to be pretty feature-rich given its price-point. For example, you can toggle Dolby Dynamic Range Control, which makes Dolby Digital audio easier to hear at lower volumes. There’s also multiplex broadcast sound and USB connectivity available. One key feature is the inclusion of Bluetooth 4.2, which enables you to connect your phone to the soundbar and play music. Musical performance wasn’t amazing over Bluetooth – breathy vocal details in I Want You by Moloko weren’t very audible and could sound a bit lost in the overall mix, even when listening in Music mode. However, the low-end kick in the bass-heavy Splash Mountain by Yung Gravy was commendable and the depth and rapid decay of the drum machine in Black Eye by Allie X also stuck out to me. This soundbar is up to the task if you just want to listen to some tunes in the background, but it won’t impress audiophiles or compete with some of the best soundbars. Overall, the Sony HT-SF150 is a very solid budget soundbar with a broad feature set, generally clear-cut dialogue, considerable power, and an elegant design. For the price, it’s fantastic value and while it’s not without its flaws sonically, it can be trusted to offer a leg up to some of the best small TVs and even some more premium models. So, this soundbar is definitely worth bearing in mind for those on a budget, but if you’re a little short on space, the mini Hisense HS214 is an awesome alternative. Those with a bit more cash may also want to consider one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars for mind-blowingly good spatial sound. (Image credit: Future) Sony HT-SF150 review: Price and release date $129 / £99 / AU$194 Launched in 2018 The Sony HT-SF150 is available in the UK and has an RRP of £99. In the US and Australia, the model has a slightly different name – the Sony HT-S100F – and a list price of $129 / AU$194. But I bring great news…this soundbar is often available for a fair amount less. I’ve often seen it sell for less than $100 / £90 / AU$180, which makes it an incredibly low-priced option. It may not be the newest soundbar on the market, but it’s compatible with all modern TVs thanks to its use of HDMI and digital optical connectivity. Sony HT-SF150 review: Specs Swipe to scroll horizontally Dimensions 35.4 x 2.5 x 3.5 inches / 900 x 64 x 88mm Speaker channels 2.0 Connections HDMI, digital optical, USB, Bluetooth 4.2 Dolby Atmos / DTS:X No / No Sub included No Rear speakers included No (Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Sony HT-SF150? Swipe to scroll horizontally Attributes Notes Rating Features S-Force, great sound modes, no bass/treble adjustment or Atmos. 4/5 Audio performance Can get a little bloated but usually clear dialogue and decent bass, powerful too. 4/5 Design Premium-looking given its price, neat remote, small LED display can confuse. 4.5/5 Setup and usability Easy to set up with HDMI, plenty of ways to connect, some unorthodox controls. 4/5 Value Great price for the sound upgrade and build quality on offer. 4.5/5 Buy it if… Don’t buy it if… Sony HT-SF150 review: Also consider Swipe to scroll horizontally Row 0 – Cell 0 Sony HT-SF150 Hisense HS214 Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Price $129 / £99 / AU$194 $99 / £79 (about AU$160) $119.99 / £119.99 (about AU$180) Dimensions 35.4 x 2.5 x 3.5 inches / 900 x 64 x 88mm 25.6 x 3.7 x 2.3 inches / 650 x 95 x 58mm 24 x 3.5 x 2.6 inches / 610 x 90 x 65mm Speaker channels 2.0 2.1 2.0 Connections HDMI, digital optical, USB, Bluetooth 4.2 HDMI ARC, digital optical, AUX, USB, coaxial, Bluetooth 4.2 HDMI ARC, digital optical, Bluetooth Dolby Atmos / DTS:X No / No No / No No / No Sub included No No (but includes built-in woofer) No Rear speakers included No No No Sony HT-SF150 review: How I tested (Image credit: Future) Tested for one week Connected the soundbar to the Hisense U7K TV at home Used the HDMI ARC connectivity option For one week, I had the not-so-arduous task of testing the Sony HT-SF150. During this time, I used HDMI ARC to connect the soundbar to my Hisense U7K TV – which already has solid built-in audio. While testing, I viewed a variety of TV shows, videos and movies – mainly using streaming services like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and YouTube. I also played Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth on the PS5 to assess the soundbar’s gaming capabilities. In addition, I connected the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE to the SF150 and trialed Bluetooth connectivity for playing music. I made sure to play tracks from the TechRadar testing playlist to judge the quality of the soundbar’s Music mode. First reviewed: February 2025 Read more about how we test

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New cheaper blue OLED material breakthrough could be great news for OLED TVs – and every other device

Researchers have discovered a new host material for blue OLED pixels Tests showed a big jump in power efficiency The breakthrough could mean cheaper production Good news for anyone hankering for a cheaper OLED TV: a new scientific breakthrough could pave the way for cheaper, more efficient OLED displays in our smart TVs, phones, tablets, and pretty much everywhere else – though the impact could be largest on TVs. Researchers at the University of Cambridge and University of Manchester have reportedly discovered a new ‘oxadiazine’ host material for creating high-efficiency, lower-cost, blue OLED pixels (via OLED-info). Blue OLED pixels are the white (blue?) whale of TV panel development, proving much more difficult to produce with the same light-emitting efficiency as their red and green counterparts, with more risk of instability and a short shelf-life. As the abstract from the scientific paper says: “Energy-efficient and deep-blue organic light-emitting diode (OLED) with long operating stability remains a key challenge to enable a disruptive change in OLED display and lighting technology.” However, it looks like headway is being made. The paper shows the molecular design of the new material, with 21% improvements in power efficiency and excellent “thermal stability” for use in blue OLED pixels. And while all OLED devices use blue pixels, the reason that’s especially good for TVs is that even the latest and greatest TV tech requires multiple layers of blue pixels, so that’s where the biggest effects may be felt. The Panasonic Z95B features LG Display’s new four-stack OLED panel. (Image credit: Future) The future of OLED There’s been a big push in recent years towards developing ‘phosphor OLED’ panels with greater power efficiency and higher brightness This means that a TV screen can deploy fewer layers of blue pixels for the same brightness output as existing screens. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. LG’s latest ‘four-stack’ Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel (used in the LG G5 and Panasonic Z95B), for example, uses more blue layers than red or green. QD-OLED, as used in the Samsung S95F, relies heavily on blue light coming through a layer of quantum dots, so also requires several layers of blue pixels. So any method for reducing the complexity or cost of blue pixels is going to be very welcome. While phosphor OLED has proved difficult to manufacture so far, these kinds of breakthroughs show that headway is being made in blue options overall. A laboratory breakthrough like this will take time to impact mass panel production, of course, but it does bode well for the development of OLED in the coming years, and the hope for cheaper, more accessible OLED TVs that offer excellent picture quality for longer. While OLED TV prices have fallen in recent years, they’ve largely stalled around the $1,000 mark, and manufacturers and consumers alike have been waiting for something to break the deadlock. Hopefully, that future isn’t too far off. You might also like

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LG C5: everything we know so far about LG’s mid-range OLED TV

The LG C5 was revealed in January at CES 2025 as part of LG’s 2025 OLED TV lineup. While we still don’t have all the info on the C5, from what we’ve been told it looks like there will be minimal changes from its predecessor, the LG C4. These changes include higher brightness, improved processing and the latest iteration of LG’s smart TV platform, webOS 25. We were impressed with the LG C4 in 2024, thanks to its stunning contrast, stacked list of features and wide range of sizes. It was a noticeable step-up over the LG C3 from 2023 and the C4 earned its place among the best OLED TVs. We’ve seen the C5 in person and at first glance, it looked nice and bright, but not very different from the C4. This was only a brief preview at CES 2025, so we’ll wait to properly test it before we make our final judgment. Below, we look at what’s been confirmed so far about the C5 and everything we still need to know. At the time of writing, we’ve yet to have pricing and official release dates confirmed. LG C5 OLED TV: Prices and release date We don’t have pricing for the LG C5, but we can guess based on the launch pricing of the LG C4 (pictured) (Image credit: Future) At the time of writing, we don’t have official pricing or release dates for the LG C5, but we can speculate based on the same information for the C5’s predecessor, the LG C4. When the C4 was released in March 2024, it had a slight price increase over the LG C3 on every model size in the range. Pricing for the LG C4 at release was as follows: OLED83C4: $5,399 / £5,999 / AU$7,999 OLED77C4: $3,699 / £3,799 / AU$5,999 OLED65C4: $2,699 / £2,699 / AU$4,299 OLED55C4: $1,999 / £1,899 / AU$3,299 OLED48C4 $1,599 / £1,499 / AU$2,499 OLED42C4: $1,499 / £1,399 / AU$2,199 We guessed that the LG C4 would have a price increase due to inflation over the LG C3 before official pricing was confirmed, and were correct, with all C4 models priced roughly $200 higher than the same sizes in the C3 series. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. We expect a price increase over the C4 series for all C5 sizes, once again due to inflation. Based on previous years, we anticipate that the C5 will launch in March or April 2025, as this is when LG has traditionally launched its new TVs. Again we’re only speculating on the pricing and release dates above based on previous models. Once we have official pricing and release dates, we’ll be sure to update this section. LG C5 OLED TV: Features The LG C5 (pictured) appears to have higher brightness and new AI features, but not many more upgrades over its predecessor (Image credit: Future) The LG C5 will be available in its usual range of sizes: 42, 48, 55, 65, 77 and 83 inches. As far as upgrades go, there haven’t been many confirmed changes over the LG C4. Firstly, we know that the C5 will continue to use an OLED Evo panel and not a micro lens array panel (MLA) as many hoped for (although MLA has been dropped from the LG G5 and LG M5 OLEDs in favor of a new four-stack OLED panel). For this reason, we won’t expect any drastic changes in brightness. While no official brightness specs have been confirmed, the Philips OLED810, its mid-range 2025 OLED, has been confirmed to have a 15% brightness increase from 1,300 nits (in the OLED809) to 1,500 nits for the OLED810. Considering it uses the same panel as the LG C5, we can assume that the C5 will have a similar brightness increase over the LG C4. When we measured the C4, peak brightness on a 10% white HDR window pattern was 1,065 nits in Filmmaker Mode. If the 15% increase is correct, we can guess that the C5 will hit about 1,225 nits peak brightness. Of course, we haven’t officially measured the C5 yet; this is just speculation. The C5 will also use the Alpha A9 AI Processor Gen8, which will provide AI features and support the latest version of LG’s smart TV platform, webOS 25. Several new AI enhancements arrive with webOS 25, including AI Search (AI content search engine), AI Concierge (a feature that recommends content based on viewing history) and a more advanced version of the AI Chatbot first featured in webOS 24. There’s also the ability to create custom profiles for multiple users that will provide tailored recommendations and picture settings. The LG C5 should have the same gaming features as the LG C4 (pictured), and that’s not a bad thing (Image credit: Future) Unlike the LG G5, which now supports 165Hz, the new C5 isn’t getting any gaming upgrades. Even so, the LG C4 is one of the best gaming TVs, and its gaming features that will carry over to the LG C5 include four HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 144Hz, Dolby Vision gaming, VRR (AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync), HGiG and ALLM support. LG C5 OLED TV: what we still need to know We’re still waiting on specs for the LG C5’s built-in speaker system (Image credit: Future) We are still waiting on confirmation of specs for the C5’s built-in speakers. The C4 came with a 2.2-channel Dolby Atmos system and while it’s likely the C5 will have the same, audio is an area where LG could make another upgrade. Could a built-in subwoofer be included? Any upgrades would be welcome. The C4’s speakers “did the job” as we said in our review, but we recommended it be paired with one of the best soundbars. You might also like

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Amazon’s Android TV update hints at new Fire TV devices – maybe at the next-gen AI Alexa event soon

New documentation suggests we’ll see Fire TV devices run on Android 14 That’s despite claims Amazon was moving Fire TV to a new platform A big product launch is planned for February 26 Amazon appears to be working on some new Fire TV Sticks that run on Android 14, and we could get our first good look at them before the month is out. Eagle-eyed reporters for AFTVNews spotted the mention of new hardware on one of Amazon’s developer pages, titled ‘Developing for Amazon Fire TV Devices Running Android 14’. The page opens by saying that “Android 14-based Fire TV is based on API level 34. The following sections explain some of [the] important changes that you should consider when you build apps for Android 14-based Fire TV.” There are no specific models listed, but the term ‘Android 14’ reappears on another Fire OS page, and with a big Amazon product launch only a few weeks away, we’re curious about whether a new Fire TV lineup is about to appear. We don’t yet have any Fire TV devices running on Android 14 – the version of Google’s ubiquitous operating system that launched in 2023 – and it looked like Amazon was keen to start shifting its streaming hardware onto the new Linux-based VegaOS, which runs on the latest versions of the Echo Spot and Echo Show. However, the documentation suggests that Amazon’s Fire TV streaming sticks and smart TV collaborations could still run on a version of the Android platform, and with no current devices running it, it seems likely that new ones are coming. The last Fire TV Stick was the HD model launched in 2024, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see some updates to older Fire TV hardware for the coming year. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. (Image credit: Getty Images) You, me, and Alexa The big launch event is on February 26, and is expected to showcase a next-generation, AI-powered iteration of the Alexa smart assistant – which could well be integrated into any new-for-2025 Fire TV hardware. This new Alexa should be better at understanding natural speech, and handling multiple contextual prompts in sequence – allowing for a more streamlined, conversational interaction – and even act as an AI agent to perform tasks on your behalf. These kinds of AI enhancements are still in public beta for the most part, and you may find yourself paying $5-10 dollars per month for the privilege of testing these not-yet-perfect features out. But it shows that Amazon is stepping up to the AI plate and making sure it’s part of this new frontier in smart assistants. Given how ubiquitous Alexa is across the best smart home devices, it’s something we should all take notice of. Here’s hoping the new Fire TV brings back our ability to hide apps on the homepage, though… You might also like…

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The Nvidia Shield lives! A new update adds a Dolby Atmos competitor, and a load of other fixes

Nvidia Shield’s latest update, v9.2, adds a new 3D audio format The support comes two years after Nvidia first voiced plans to do so However, there’s no sign of a new Shield TV model A new update to the Nvidia Shield TV streaming box has arrived, with software version 9.2 now rolling out to Shield TV devices with a host of new fixes and changes, reminding us that the ageing streamer may still have some life in it yet. The flashiest change is the addition of Auro-3D, a three-dimensional audio format in the vein of Dolby Atmos or DTS:X. Nvidia voiced its intention to support Auro-3D back in 2023, but it’s taken around two years to finally get here. Developed by Denon, Auro-3D works in a similar way to other three-dimensional formats, configured for a sense of height and surround sound immersion alongside traditional horizontal speaker arrangements. You’ll need a minimum 9.1 channel speaker setup to get the full experience, mind. The format isn’t widely supported compared to Dolby Atmos, which you’ll find on the best streaming services such as Netflix, but it’s still a contender making its way to devices, Blu-rays and other platforms – and for those with a suitable home theater system, you’ll likely want to check it out for yourself. (Image credit: Nvidia) Other changes for version 9.2 include added parental controls in French, increased security measures for 4K DRM playback, and a long list of bug fixes for video and audio playback, app launching, and smart assistant integration issues. The patch notes mention that the update will remove your Shield TV from Google Home integration, too, so make sure you reconfigure your setup if that’s something that affects you. Will there be more Shield TV hardware to come? It’s an interesting time for Nvidia’s TV streaming box. The Shield TV range first launched in 2015, with the latest Shield TV and Shield TV Pro models releasing in 2019, meaning the current hardware is getting a little long in the tooth – especially given it still runs on Android 11 rather than the latest Android 12 OS. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. As we wrote in 2024, though, the Shield TV is still an excellent streaming box, even if its updates are now few and far between. It’s a capable 4K HDR streamer for any smart TV, with countless Android apps and services, including the jam-packed GeForce Now streaming service with access to over 1,800 games. But with plenty of other streaming devices to choose from, games consoles that double as streaming boxes, and reports that Valve may be looking at creating a Shield TV competitor, and it’s hard to see how long Nvidia’s box can hold on without releasing a new hardware iteration in the near future. I can at least assure you that Matt Hanson, our Managing Editor for Computing and TR’s foremost Shield fanatic, brings it up with Nvidia literally every time he speaks to the folks there, which has been pretty damn regularly recently – so when Nvidia finally breaks and promises a new one to shut him up, you’ll know who to thank. You might also like

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The leaked Sonos streaming box could be a huge hit for custom home theaters, if it adds 2 key missing features from the current line-up

The big features of Sonos’ upcoming streaming box have leaked, and they sound pretty damn great, actually. The key elements are that it will have multiple HDMI passthrough ports and will act as an HDMI switch, that it will have a comprehensive range of streaming services in a unified interface, and that it will be able to send wireless audio to Sonos speakers in home theater configurations that don’t involve a soundbar at all (or can still include one, but also wirelessly). The downsides are that the software is being developed by an ad-tech company (and Sonos has a rocky reputation around software over the last year), and that it’s predicted to cost $200-$400, which is a lot if you’re looking at a living-room setup, since you then need to add all those speakers, and probably stands for the speakers, and all that jazz. But there’s a very interesting potential use case where the price downside really goes away, and the new speaker system could come into its own even more: custom home theater installs. Not everyone realizes that Sonos is actually a significant name in the world of in-wall speakers and in-ceiling speakers. These aren’t wireless, alas, but they’re designed to work seamlessly with the Sonos Amp, which knows exactly how to drive them for peak output, and can drive six speakers (three pairs) per Amp box. In the past, their use for home theater has been limited to Sonos regular Amp options: they can act as stereo TV front speakers only, or rear TV speakers when paired with a soundbar. But if the new streaming box enables more flexible speaker configurations, and can work with Sonos’ in-wall speakers connected to multiple Sonos Amps, things could get interesting. The Sonos Amp could be a secret weapon for the streaming box. Imagine one of the best projectors (which probably won’t have its own streaming tech built in) connected to a Sonos streaming box, which wirelessly sends audio out to two Sonos Amps. One is powering four in-ceiling speakers and a pair of front left and right in-wall speakers; the other is powering a pair of side in-wall speakers and a pair of rear ones. Hopefully the streaming box could also wirelessly connect to a pair (at least!) of Sonos Subs at the same time. That would be quite the Dolby Atmos setup. Is this superior to connecting an AV receiver to a load of in-wall speakers? Perhaps not, but the installation might be easier if you only need to run cabling a shorter distance to a nearby box, rather than all the way to wherever your AV receiver is. And you have the ease of use of Sonos’ TruePlay tuning, which works excellently to get everything calibrated for your room. To be clear, this is all speculation on my part – the original leaks about the ability to use speakers for wireless home theater sound said that Sonos is still evaluating exactly which options to include, and we don’t know what configurations will be available. But if Sonos makes the Sonos Amp part of the system, the Sonos streaming box could be popular for installations, where price is way less sensitive a topic than most living-room setups. But what about DTS? However, there’s something else that might put home theater enthusiasts off this whole project, and that’s Sonos’ on-going rejection of the DTS sound format. The only real competitor to Dolby (sorry Eclipsa Audio, call me when you’re supported by some actual movies!) is a big deal to home theater enthusiasts, because it’s the format of choice for so many 4K Blu-rays, and it’s also now featured on the Disney Plus streaming service. If you’ve gone to the effort of outfitting a projector and all these in-wall speakers, are you going to risk hearing the Oppenheimer soundtrack in anything less than full-power, maximum-impact DTS-HD? No, of course not, you’re not a barbarian. My Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar review would have scored it higher if it supported DTS; when it’s so common among the competition, it’s so frustrating that it’s missing. And it lacking from that soundbar worries me that it’s not coming to the streamer either. I’m worried that the Sonos streaming box could end up falling into a valley between the two different sets of people who might love it: living-room users might be put off by the price; home theater users might be put off by the lack of DTS support. Fortunately, everything we know so far is based on leaks. Perhaps the price will be a bargain in the end, perhaps it’ll support DTS and every wireless configuration known to humankind, perhaps it’ll be a total dud. I’m hoping Sonos will realize its potential for custom installs, at the very least. You might also like…

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New info about Sonos’ streaming box sounds like a dream product, apart from the 2 horrendous flaws

Major new information about Sonos’ much-rumored set-top streaming box has leaked via The Verge, and as a long-time Sonos user, I was borderline salivating at the promised features here – it sounds like the device I’d be dreaming of when thinking what I’d want a Sonos streaming box to be. In fact, it started sounding too good to be true, and then you get to the pricing and a reminder about the software behind it, and it starts falling apart. Let’s start with the great stuff. The box is said to be a small black square when seen from above, slightly thicker than a deck of cards – so quite similar to the Apple TV 4K. It will apparently connect to your TV, and will act as a wireless streaming hub for the best Sonos speakers, meaning that your lovely Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar wouldn’t have to be connected to your TV via a cable. We’re moving towards the era of wireless soundbars, and I’ve said before that if Sonos can’t find a way to make its soundbars go wireless with big-brand TVs, it’s doomed. But, wireless soundbar connectivity is the least interesting part of it. Apparently, Sonos will enable users to do what they’ve dreamed of for ages and have multiple wireless Sonos speakers in a separate surround configuration, with no soundbar required. The report says that Sonos is finalizing which speakers will be compatible, but basically the idea is that you could have a Sonos Era 300 to the left and right of your TV providing left and right channels as well as Dolby Atmos upfiring channels and you could have the same behind you for a 4.0.4 configuration, as an example. Add a Sonos Sub, and you’ve got meaty bass; hopefully, you could add something like a Sonos Ray as a center channel, too, because I’m not especially into these ‘virtual’ center configurations, such as the Sony Bravia Home Theater Quad offers when used with a non-Sony TV. The ability to use Sonos speakers as left and right channels is something that the hardcore users on the r/sonos subreddit ask for basically daily and Sonos has always gently resisted in response. But it sounds like we’re moving in that direction, and I would love for this to be as flexible as possible. Get ready fellas, your time to really shine is coming. (Image credit: Future) The streaming box, apparently codenamed Pinewood, is also said to offer multiple HDMI ports, which will pass video through to the TV so it acts as an HDMI switch. I love this idea as someone whose TV has only two HDMI 2.1 ports, and one of them is the HDMI eARC port, meaning that a soundbar is eating up my precious 4K 120Hz space. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. It’s such a clever way for this to stand out over the Apple TV 4K (2022) or Google TV Streamer and it is a genuinely useful and unique feature. You’ll get more HDMI ports by using this product, not losing one; it’s a great value proposition and solves real problems. The final dream offering is one that I’m far more skeptical about as a claim. Supposedly, the streaming interface will offer a truly unified search, recommendations, and control interface drawn from all the best streaming services, including Netflix. Netflix is a real prickly customer to work with in this regard. It doesn’t allow something like Apple’s TV app to pull in shows you’ve been watching and let you pick them back up because it doesn’t want you to use another app as your ‘home base.’ It doesn’t like its shows to appear in universal search tools. What it wants is for you to go to Netflix for everything, where it can recommend 100% Netflix shows and movies. Could Sonos be the company that finally persuades Netflix to play nice and not be the sole center of your streaming universe? It doesn’t feel likely, but it’s possible… for reasons that bring us to the first of the big flaws of this whole affair. Premium with Ads According to The Verge’s article, the streaming box has a “beautiful” interface design, but the whole thing has been developed with an ad-tech firm. So maybe Sonos has gotten Netflix on board for its fancy interface because it’s prepared to give the streamer better data about your habits, and Netflix will compromise in exchange for making more money by showing people better ads. That’s just speculation on my part, but something would have to change things for Netflix, and the whole ad element really weighs heavily over the whole project. If the Sonos interface is full of ads, or people feel like it’s hoovering up all their data, we’ve said before that the whole streaming box endeavor feels doomed – and while that was before we knew about the promised authentic wireless surround sound and the HDMI switching, it was also when we thought the price would be $150-$200. Now, let’s get to the real problem: the rumored price of $200-$400. This is a category where Apple – Apple! – keeps its offering under $150. And if the software is indeed designed around ads, a super-premium price just isn’t going to be accepted. The likes of Google TV and Amazon Fire TV are also designed around ads. Still, the devices they’re on are generally very inexpensive, so you actually feel like the ads are subsidizing you getting something for a great value. If the Sonos streaming box comes anywhere near the $400 mark, it will be for a niche audience only when it could be something far more popular. To be fair, adding a load of HDMI ports obviously adds expense and complexity, and apparently, Sonos will include cutting-edge Wi-Fi 7 for the best performance. And I also have to note that the price of four $449 Sonos Era 300 speakers with a $400 streaming box would be $2,200, which is the exact same price as the Sony Bravia Theater Quad, which would be a direct equivalent. So it’s not out of line compared to a like-for-like product at all. But it means that only the wealthier hardcore are going to be interested when otherwise, this could be so good for so many people. Here’s hoping that Sonos will bring the dream side of things that I want and will find a way to keep the price realistic – because if it can make things work, the best soundbars might be on notice from a Sonos streamer and surround combo. You might also like…

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If you let me near your TV, I will immediately adjust these 5 settings

As I’m writing this, I’m many miles away from my beloved LG G3 OLED TV. The reason? I’m staying at my cousin’s house while my apartment gets some work done on it. Y’know the first thing I did to his Sony Bravia KD-65XH505 when I was left alone with it? Tinker the hell out of its picture settings. Shameful, I know. But c’mon, he clearly hadn’t tweaked a slider since unboxing his Bravia back when he picked it up in 2020. I suspect most people are like my cuz when they buy a new TV. They plug it in, sign into some of the best streaming services and they’re done. Oh sure, they’ll flirt with the volume and press the power button a few times a day, but that’s probably all she wrote when it comes to their TV tinkering. Not me, though. As an AV obsessive, I rigorously tweak a plethora of picture settings after buying one of the best TVs. Below, you can find out the five settings I’d immediately either fiddle with or flat out turn off if I ever got my grubby mitts on your precious TV’s remote. I’ll turn off motion smoothing Sony’s Motionflow setup menu (Image credit: Future) Make no mistake: motion smoothing is the tool of the Devil. It’s a hideous feature that should be eliminated from every TV. As someone who suffers from crippling arachnophobia, I’d rather share my bed with a dozen tarantulas than turn on any form of motion smoothing. LG calls it TrueMotion, Sony Motionflow, while Samsung tries to woo your peepers with its Auto Motion Plus settings. Whatever these manufacturers call it, motion smoothing needs to get in the bin… then said bin needs to be promptly booted into the sea. Technically, motion smoothing can help making quick panning shots in some of the best Netflix movies look that little slicker, true. But the trade-off simply isn’t worth it. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Some of the best TVs have judder and blur reduction sliders that are almost acceptable at their lowest settings. Almost. Yet if you fully embrace maxed out motion smoothing, you’ll be instantly hit by the dreaded ‘soap opera effect’ – a galling visual experience that can make even the most cinematic silver screen masterpieces look like an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210.Artificially smoothing out frames, it’s a feature that gives me night terrors of watching that dreadful 48 frames per second version of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Let me within 20 feet of your TV, and motion smoothing will immediately go bye-bye. Noise reduction will be nixed Noise reduction presets on TVs can end up eliminating picture detail (Image credit: Future) By default, most TVs will have noise reduction turned to Auto. Put me in the same room as your pride and joy, and that setting is getting switched off pronto. While noise cancelling can help reduce picture noise in older movies that were shot on traditional celluloid reels, the advent of digital filmmaking means most modern movies look very clean. How does this relate to noise cancelling on your TV? Unless you disable it, you’re going to lose key picture details in your favourite movies. There’s also a good chance on-screen motion will look blurrier if you engage this feature, too. So yeah, get this setting cancelled permanently. Sharpness settings on TVs can actually add noise to pictures (Image credit: Future) The only time I ever consider upping the picture sharpening settings on my LG G3 OLED is if I’m playing my Nintendo Switch OLED in Docked Mode, and even then it’s a reluctant decision. Sharpening the picture of a sub-1080p image on a giant 77-inch screen is one thing. Upping the sharpness of an already pin-sharp, utterly pristine 4K image while playing the best PC games is utterly unforgivable, though. If you’re watching the best 4K movies on Blu-ray or playing the best PS5 games on a 4K TV, slide that sharpening setting to zero. Otherwise, you’re just going to create unnecessary, artificial picture information. Say so long to sharpening Make your peace with my Vivid Mode obsession Filmmaker Mode is usually the most accurate picture preset on TVs, but it’s your TV, so you do you (Image credit: Future) Yes, yes. I’m a monster. Ever since I can remember, I’ve skipped straight past Standard Mode on the ludicrous number of OLED TVs I’ve owned down the years and instead opted for Vivid/Vibrant – depending on what the manufacturer calls it. Turns out, my eyes really like what many TV experts would consider an oversaturated picture. Judge me all you want. Vibrant/Vivid Mode is just my jam when it comes to picture presets. My corneas have been basking in the over-exaggerated colours and squint-inducing contrast for so long now, I simply can’t go back. If you’re watching one of the best Disney Plus movies and want to honour the true look of how a director intended their film to be experienced, you really should go for Filmmaker Mode. Colours are often warmer and more accurate with this preset, while post-processing will be disabled in order to preserve the director’s artistic vision. Many Hollywood helmers have given their endorsement to this preset and it’s increasingly easy to find. LG, Panasonic, Philips, Vizio and Hisense all have TVs on the market with a variation of this mode, and there’s now even a Dolby Vision Filmmaker mode for movies with Dolby Vision HDR. If you want the most accurate hues and don’t want to make Spielberg and Scorsese angrily shake their fists at the clouds, Filmmaker Mode is the way to go when watching movies. So once again, don’t let me within a country mile of your television, because I’ll kick Filmmaker to the curb to make my TV pop in the most unnatural way possible via Vivid Mode. Hey, don’t preset shame me. I’ll pummel your Power Saving settings Lights sensors and Eco mode settings typically end up darkening pictures and are unfortunately turned on by default on new TVs (Image credit: Future) This last one might not be good for your electricity bill, but your eyes will thank me. Eco modes and ambient light sensors may save you precious pennies, but they’ll massively diminish your viewing experience. What’s the point in owning one of the best OLED TVs – that can now almost get ‘QLED bright’ thanks to quantum dot and Micro Lens Array (MLA) tech – then obliterating said brightness by opting for energy saving settings? If you have sensitive eyes, I can understand wanting to dim your TV in a darkened room at night. Otherwise, say no to Power Saving Mode and make it up to the planet by recycling your rear end off. You might also like…

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I spent a month testing the 11.4.6-channel Nakamichi Dragon, and it’s a Dolby Atmos soundbar on steroids

Nakamichi Dragon: Two minute review The Nakamichi Dragon is an 11.4.6-channel soundbar system that pushes the outer limits of what a soundbar is capable of. It’s more akin to an AV receiver in its design, features, and execution. Using it, I was frequently reminded of AV receivers by everything from the system’s heavily buttoned remote control to its extensive, detailed setup menu. The Dragon is not aimed at someone interested in simple plug-and-play sound (though it does provide basic setup options and is easy to get up and running) but rather users who like to dig in and painstakingly tweak settings. At $2,999.99 (around £2,400 / AU$4,750), the Nakamichi Dragon costs double what you’ll pay even for the best Dolby Atmos soundbars on the market such as the Samsung HW-Q990D. That’s quite a lot to pay for a soundbar system, and it takes you into an AV receiver and separate speakers package price territory. But an important Dragon advantage is that it’s a wireless system, though one with the high channel count you’d get from a receiver-based home theater audio rig. The Dragon isn’t as feature-packed as expected given its relatively lofty price. There’s processing onboard for Dolby Atmos and the Pro version of DTS:X, and there are four HDMI 2.1 ports (one with eARC) that support 4K 120Hz and Dolby Vision pass-through. The system comes with a full-scale remote control that provides quick access to a wide array of audio adjustments and it has Bluetooth aptX HD for wireless music streaming. There’s no AirPlay or Chromecast support for streaming over Wi-Fi, and the system’s control app is primarily used for system setup. Automatic setup and room EQ features, either the more basic ones you get in premium soundbars like the Sonos Arc Ultra, or advanced ones such as Audyssey or Dirac Live in AV receivers, are also nowhere to be found. Basic setup of the Dragon soundbar system is surprisingly easy, however. The Dragon system’s sound does its name justice. It can go incredibly loud and the dual subwoofers, each with two 8-inch opposing drivers, provide deep-reaching and very full-sounding bass. Having two subwoofers also helps to even out bass performance, which compensates to a degree for the lack of room EQ processing. (Two subs are provided with the system configuration I tested, but it supports up to four subs.) With six up-firing Atmos height drivers between the soundbar and the surround speakers, which also provide both side and rear surround channel driver arrays, the level of immersion provided by the Dragon system surpasses any other soundbar system I’ve heard. Not all is perfect with the Dragon’s sound, however: it can come across as aggressive and treble-forward with some content, favoring clarity and presence over subtlety. But if your main thing is action movies or gaming, there’s not too much here to complain about. At 58.1 x 7.7 x 4.4 inches, the Dragon system’s soundbar is fairly huge – it just about fit my TV stand, which is designed to support TVs up to 75 inches. The soundbar’s stainless steel enclosure is superior to the plastic ones you get on budget models, and the system’s design strikes a nice balance between function and style. A large front panel LED display can be customized to show the names of sources (Blu-ray, Xbox, etc.) and it can also provide visual feedback beyond basic source and volume settings when you hit the Info button on the remote control. Paying $3,000 for a soundbar system might sound a bit outrageous, but the Nakamichi Dragon is no ordinary soundbar system. It delivers a level of performance that’s more like what you get from a traditional AV receiver-based home theater system from a big honkin’ soundbar with wireless subwoofers and surround speakers. If that all sounds appealing to you, you’ll find the Dragon to be a good value. At 58.1 inches wide, the Dragon requires a substantial TV stand for support (Image credit: Future) Nakamichi Dragon review: Price & release date Released in October 2023 $2,999.99 (around £2,400 / AU$4,750) The Nakamichi Dragon soundbar system with two dual-opposing eight-inch subwoofers is listed at $3,999.99, but sells for $2,999.99. It is available in the US on Amazon, and can be purchased and shipped internationally through B&H Photo Video. Along with the base configuration reviewed here, the Dragon can also be purchased in configurations with two 12-inch subwoofers ($4,199) or four 12-inch subwoofers ($7,199). Dragon pricing is high compared to other premium soundbar systems such as the Samsung HW-Q990D and LG S95TR, both of which have a lower overall channel count and lower rated power. Nakamichi Dragon review: Specs Swipe to scroll horizontally Dimensions (W x H x D) Soundbar: 58.1 x 4.4 x 7.7 inches (1476 x 112 x 196mm) Speaker channels 11.4.6 Connections: 4x HDMI 2.1 (1 w/eARC), optical digital audio input and output, 3.5mm Aux input and output, Bluetooth aptX HD Dolby Atmos/DTS:X Yes/Yes Sub included Yes (2) Rear speakers included Yes Features 4K 120Hz and Dolby Vision HDMI pass-through The Dragon soundbar and surround speakers use matching 1.5-inch Air Motion tweeters. (Image credit: Future) Nakamichi Dragon review: Features 11.4.6-channel Dolby Atmos and DTS:X Four HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 120Hz and Dolby Vision pass-through Bluetooth aptX HD wireless streaming The Nakamichi Dragon combines a sizeable 58.1 x 7.7 x 4.4-inch main soundbar unit (1476 x 112 x 196mm) featuring a stainless steel enclosure with two wireless subwoofers and wireless rear surround speakers. The soundbar provides processing for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X Pro and features four HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 120Hz and Dolby Vision pass-through along with optical digital audio and 3.5mm aux inputs and outputs. There’s no onboard Wi-Fi for streaming, but the Dragon soundbar does support Bluetooth aptX HD for streaming music. The soundbar’s speaker array consists of three 1.5-inch “Air Motion” folded ribbon-type tweeters, each flanked by a pair of 3-inch mid-range drivers for the left, center, and right channels. Two pairs of 3-inch height speakers are arrayed on the soundbar’s top surface, with the pairs angled at 10 and 20 degrees, respectively, to evenly distribute Atmos height effects from the front toward the back of the room. Along with these, 3-inch drivers are located on the soundbar’s side panels for an enhanced surround sound effect. Nakamichi’s tall, tower-like dual-opposing wireless subwoofers each house a pair of eight-inch drivers inside a ported cabinet. The system’s Omni-Motion Reference wireless surround speakers each contain side and rear surround speaker arrays consisting of a 1.5-inch Air Motion tweeter and three-inch mid-bass driver, with a three-inch height speaker mounted on top. A PerfectHeight adjustment on the Omni-Motion Reference’s top surface lets you rotate the height speaker up 180 degrees to optimize height effects for your specific room layout and installation. Unlike other premium soundbars on the market from brands like Samsung, LG, and Sonos, the Dragon has no automated setup or room EQ features. The system’s dual subwoofer configuration does help to evenly distribute bass in your room and compensate for room modes, however, and the extensive sound level and delay adjustments allow for a precise manual setup. Features score: 3.5 / 5 The Dragon’s dual subwoofers are fairly tall, but can be tucked unobtrusively into the corners of a room. (Image credit: Future) Nakamichi Dragon review: Performance Powerful, immersive sound Deep, impactful bass Overly aggressive sound with some content The Dragon system sounded good out of the box but strongly benefitted from a manual calibration in the Advanced Sound Setup menu. Once that was done, I cracked open a new 4K Blu-ray disc of the recent Twisters remake that I had bought specifically for this test. On the Dragon system, the sound of violent tornadoes ripping through space in the Twisters soundtrack was potently rendered, providing an almost unnerving sense of being directly inside the path of destruction. Vehicles propelled through the air and crashing to earth had a powerful impact, so much so that I found myself dialing back the bass adjustment – conveniently located right next to the volume button on the system’s remote control. On Top Gun: Maverick, another movie that I regularly use to test soundbars, the sounds of jets in the first training scene early in the movie had a strong trajectory as they swooped from the front to the back of the room, and there was impressive verticality to the sound as they crisscrossed overhead. The drums and bass in The Who’s Won’t Get Fooled Again that plays in this scene came through with equal power, with Roger Daltrey’s yawps soaring along with the jets on the soundtrack. Dolby Atmos music streamed from Apple Music on my Apple TV 4K sounded equally vivid and exciting on the system, especially tracks like Kraftwerk’s Nummern / Computerwelt. This track sounded almost endlessly wide and immersive, showcasing the benefits of six separate height speakers for delivering Atmos mixes. The low-end on this track was powerful and deep but also well-integrated with the rest of the mix, the system’s dual subwoofers working together to energize my room with bass. With more subtle-sounding fare – Severance season 2 on Apple TV Plus, for instance – dialogue was very clear, and that was the case with most shows and movies I watched. As part of my initial setup, I selected the system’s Movie (Movie 1) sound preset (Music, Game, and Night modes are also available) and also dialed back the treble to the minimum setting. That’s because the Dragon system, while it has a considerable roar, can sound aggressive and even a bit harsh with some content. I’ve listened with multiple speakers that use the same Air Motion-type tweeter that’s found in Nakamichi’s system and those generally had a much more laid-back quality to the treble. This tells me that the Dragon was voiced to have a bold, even in-your-face sound that befits its name. Performance score: 4 / 5 The Dragon soundbar’s rear input ports include 4 HDMI 2.1 ports (1 w/ eARC) (Image credit: Future) Nakamichi Dragon review: Design Large soundbar and subwoofers Soundbar height may block the TV image Solid overall build quality At 58.1 x 7.7 x 4.4 inches, the Dragon’s design is anything but subtle. This is a big soundbar, and its 4.4-inch height means the top edge will definitely obscure the screen bottom of some TVs. At 32 pounds (14.5kg), it’s also a heavy one – not surprising given its stainless steel enclosure. Nakamichi sells optional floor stands for the Dragon, which will allow it to be used with wall-mounted TVs and projectors. Aside from being massive, the Dragon soundbar has an appealing design, with top panel controls that light up when touched, angled front corners, and exposed Air Motion tweeters poking through the metal mesh front. The same design chops carry over to the Omni-Motion Reference wireless surround speakers, which also get optional stands. Nakamichi’s wireless subwoofers have a plainer, more utilitarian look, but their tall form factor lets them tuck fairly unobtrusively into the corners of a room. The Dragon soundbar’s front-panel alphanumeric LED display is a feature I fully expect to see in a soundbar at this price. While it’s welcome, I would have liked an option to dim the display or to shut it off entirely with the remote when viewing, which is a feature you get on some AV receivers. Design score: 4.5 / 5 The Dragon surround speakers have matching tweeter-woofer arrays on either side to deliver rear and side surround channel, and there’s an upward-firing driver on top for Atmos height channels. (Image credit: Future) Nakamichi Dragon review: Setup & usability Easy wireless speaker setup Extensive manual sound adjustments Alphanumeric front panel LED display The basic setup of the Dragon system was incredibly easy. After positioning the soundbar on my TV stand, where it occupied nearly the stand’s full width with an inch to spare on each side, I located the subwoofers in the front corners of my room and the surround speakers at either side of my sofa. After plugging all speakers in, they made an automatic wireless connection to the soundbar, with a blue LED indicating that the system was up and running. After connecting my sources to the soundbar’s HDMI inputs, and my TV to the HDMI eARC port, I renamed the inputs in the setup menu so they would show up on the front panel display as “Blu-ray disc player, Xbox One X console, and Apple TV 4K.” I next made a Bluetooth link to my phone for music streaming by pressing the Bluetooth button on the remote control, which put the Dragon into wireless pairing mode. So much for the easy part – the next part of the setup was much more laborious. Nakamichi gives you an easy out by providing Small, Medium, and Large room options. (Guidance on which option is best for your particular room is provided in the detailed and well-organized PDF owner’s manual.) Sound with the Small option selected – the closest match for my room – was good out of the box, but for my test, I wanted to go through the full manual setup to see what difference it would make. Pulling out my tape measure and trusty old Radio Shack SPL meter, I manually entered the listening distance for each channel and also ran the pink noise output to adjust the sound level. With 11.2.6 total channels for the Dragon system I tested, we’re talking a lot of speakers to adjust! The effort was completely worth it, though, since sound clarity and bass evenness received an immediate boost. Nakamichi’s remote control is large, has an aluminum faceplate, and is packed with buttons to access a wide range of fine adjustments for things like individual speaker channel levels, including height and subwoofer channels. There’s also a Dragon control app that gives you many of the same adjustments. The only thing I didn’t like about the remote is that the keypad doesn’t have the same backlighting feature typically found in AV receiver remote controls offering the same level of granular adjustments. Another gripe I had with the Dragon was the setup menu, which requires you to jump out of any program you’re watching to make adjustments other than the ones with dedicated keypad controls on the remote. My annoyance with this was mainly during my initial setup and early use, however. Once I had dialed in my preferred settings for movies/TV and music, those adjustments could be stored in the two available Favorite Settings buttons on the remote for easy recall. Setup & usability score: 3.5 / 5 The Dragon’s full featured remote provides instant access to many adjustments for tweaking the system’s sound on the fly. (Image credit: Future) Nakamichi Dragon review: Value Unique value proposition Other premium soundbars available for much less Approaching AV receiver-based system price range The Nakamichi Dragon occupies a unique space in the home theater audio world, combining many of the functions of an AV receiver in a high channel-count soundbar plus wireless surround speakers and subwoofers package. At $3,000, you’re getting a lot for your money here, and there’s really nothing out there that parallels it. While not as elaborate or high-impact as the Dragon, other premium soundbar systems can provide a similarly satisfying and immersive home theater audio experience. For around $1,500, you can get the Samsung HW-Q990D, an 11.1.4-channel system that also has multiple HDMI inputs with 4K 120Hz passthrough. And for under $1,000, there’s the LG S95TR, a 9.1.5-channel system. Both of these soundbars support Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, and they offer unique audio processing features designed to work with Samsung and LG TVs. Another option is the Sony Bravia Theater Quad (around $2,200). This 4.1.4-channel wireless speaker system offers audio processing features designed specifically to work with Sony TVs, but it can also be used with any TV or projector setup. It’s a more compact and elegant alternative to soundbar-based systems, and with Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Mapping at work, it doesn’t skimp out on audio immersion. Finally, the Dragon’s $3,000 price is a threshold where you should also consider an AV receiver-based system. You can buy a 9.2-channel receiver such as the Onkyo TX-RZ50 for as little as $999, and then the sky is the limit when it comes to which speakers you add to your setup. The advantage to this option is that receivers offer extensive switching and control options, and they also provide automatic setup and room correction processing solutions such as Audyssey and Dirac Live. But going the AV receiver route means running wires – lots of them – plus a more complicated setup. Value score: 3.5 / 5 The Dragon soundbar’s top-panel control buttons (Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Nakamichi Dragon? Swipe to scroll horizontally Section Notes Score Features Wireless Dolby Atmos and DTS:X and 4K 120Hz pass-through but no auto-setup or Wi-Fi for music streaming 3.5 / 5 Performance Powerful and dynamic with vivid height effects on Atmos soundtracks, though sound can be too aggressive with some content 4 / 5 Design Solid, substantial build quality for a soundbar system and above-average looks 4.5 / 5 Setup & usability As long as you don’t mind making adjustments to an 11.4.6-channel system manually, everything you need is supplied 3.5 / 5 Value A unique value proposition occupying a middle ground between premium soundbars and AV receiver-plus-speakers-based systems 3.5 / 5 Buy it if… Don’t buy it if… Nakamichi Dragon review: Also consider How I tested the Nakamichi Dragon The Nakamichi Dragon with its two subs in my home. (Image credit: Future) Tested for over a month Served as my main system at home 4K Blu-ray discs, TV streaming apps, and Apple Music used as sources The Nakamichi Dragon arrives in a shipping container about the size of a coffin, so expect to enlist help when lifting it into your home. Once unboxed, I set it up in my near-3,000 cubic foot home theater room and connected TV, Apple TV 4K, Xbox Series X, and 4K Blu-ray sources via HDMI. For music testing, I listened to Dolby Atmos music streamed on the Apple Music app by the Apple TV 4K. I listened with the system for over a month, using it as my main system for casual TV watching, movies, and music. I performed an in-depth audio calibration, measuring the distance between all speaker channels and my listening seat, and then inputting that data in the Dragon’s setup menus. This also involved adjusting the sound level for each channel with pink noise generated by the soundbar that was measured with a sound pressure level (SPL) meter. I have 20-plus years of experience reviewing home theater speaker systems and components, including soundbar systems. Prior to testing the Dragon, I used Sony Bravia Theater Quad wireless speakers as my main home theater audio system, and before that an AV receiver-based 5.1.4-channel speaker system, so I have a good understanding of where the Nakamichi Dragon sits among its wireless and wired speaker competition.

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I tested a 24-inch Roku TV, and the slick smart TV software is its killer feature

RCA Roku 24-inch HD TV: review If you’re looking for a small smart TV for your kitchen or bedroom, the RCA Roku 24-inch HD TV will likely slot into your space with ease. This model harnesses Roku’s Smart TV interface, meaning you’ll get access to all the big streaming platforms – think Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney Plus – as well as apps like YouTube and on-demand services including BBC iPlayer and ITVX. It has a £125 RRP, which is undoubtedly on the cheaper side of things, but still, it’s worth asking: is the RCA Roku 24-inch HD TV worth the money? Well, first of all, I have to hand it to RCA and Roku – this TV is nice and easy to set up. It comes with two plastic feet that are simple to screw on, as well as two AAA batteries for the included remote – something that’s not always a given (ridiculous, I know). After firing the TV up, you have to update its software and sign in using a Roku account on your phone, but this doesn’t take too long and enables you to pre-install any extra apps you want – pretty handy. It’s worth noting, though, that you can download apps at any point using the Roku Store, which is a basic, although easy-to-use, digital storefront. It’s also nice and responsive – as is the Roku user interface more generally. Scrolling through menus isn’t perfectly sharp, but it doesn’t feel frustratingly laggy or slow. I would say, however, that the Roku interface is visually unappealing. It looks outdated and uses a pretty rudimentary-looking menu on startup. This isn’t a dealbreaker, but the best small TVs usually have a sleeker, more modern interface in my experience. (Image credit: Future) But although a neat interface is nice to have, you’re probably more interested in how good this TV looks. First of all, it’s worth breaking down what ‘HD’ really means here. This TV has a resolution of 720p, so you won’t be able to enjoy full HD (1080p) or 4K content. As a result, this set isn’t really primed for a lot of modern video content and if you want to get the best out of platforms like Amazon Prime Video or formats like Blu-ray, for instance, you’ll likely be left wanting more. With that out of the way, I’d argue that picture quality can be described as adequate. When watching Spider-Man: Homecoming, I skipped forward to a fight scene between the eponymous hero and a gang of bank robbers. The picture was decently clear and motion was totally passable. Spidey’s acrobatics weren’t overly judder-y as he flung across the screen, but the colour of his suit didn’t look particularly accurate. There was a bit too much warmth, leaving the reds and blues appearing slightly less contrasted than I’d like. This TV, like many LED models, also struggles a fair bit with black levels and dark details. When watching the admittedly very dingy The Batman, details on the title character’s suit were quite challenging to make out and facial features were a little blurred. Elements like sweat droplets, lines on faces and stitching on clothing weren’t very defined and given that much of the film takes place in the shadows, the result was a fairly muddy overall picture. (Image credit: Future) But again, you really can’t expect too much in terms of picture quality here due to the RCA Roku HD TV’s technical restrictions. To give this model its due, the vast majority of video content was clear enough for me to enjoy on-screen action. Studio Ghibli’s excellent The Boy and the Heron may not have been replicated with top-tier colour accuracy, but the display was quite vibrant in Standard mode without looking oversaturated or artificial. This TV also won’t wow you with amazing brightness, but it’s OK for its size, with peak brightness on a 10% window test pattern coming in at 177 nits and 167 nits in Standard and Movie mode respectively. If you’re not quite happy with how the picture looks, however, rest assured that there are plenty of ways to customise it. There are expert settings, such as dynamic contrast and colour temperature adjustment, as well as the typical picture modes, including: Roku Smart Picture (which auto-selects the best mode based on what you’re watching); Film; Low-Power; Sports; Standard and Vivid. (Image credit: Future) Similarly, there are different sound modes, such as Music, Speech and Theatre. I used the latter for much of my testing to get the most cinematic sound possible. Having said that, you’re not going to get great sound out of this TV, no matter what setting you choose. For instance, I watched the movie Smile and although the dialogue was clear enough during a conversation between two characters, it sounded pretty harsh at higher volumes. During one horror-filled scene, imposing bass is meant to heighten tensions. And sure, bass was audible, but it was no more than that, leaving quite an underwhelming impression. That’s largely to be expected from a tiny 24-inch model, though, and I’d recommend investing in one of the best soundbars if you’re looking to take audio to the next level for movie nights. (Image credit: Future) Another area that won’t impress is gaming performance. Once more, this is down to the technical limitations of the RCA Roku HD TV. When gaming on the Xbox Series X, motion and picture were once again fine, but no better. Of course, you won’t be able to access current-gen features like 4K, 120fps gameplay, but if you just want a functional display for your favourite titles, this TV will get the job done. You can plug your games console into one of the three HDMI ports situated on the reverse side of the RCA Roku HD TV. Personally, I was very pleased to see that there were three HDMI slots here – that’s pretty generous for a TV of this size and price. One can be used for ARC if you’d like to connect up a soundbar too, which is another big positive. Beyond this, the TV’s design and build quality is pretty unimpressive, though. It’s very plasticky – almost toy-like in its construction – and it’s on the bulkier side for a modern TV. I will say, however, that I liked the included remote, which has a textured finish and all the useful shortcuts for streaming services and the like. All in all, the RCA Roku 24-inch HD TV does what it says on the tin. It’s a very basic smart TV with totally functional, although unimpressive, performance across the board. You’re going to get flawed, albeit passable picture and sound quality, a basic design and little in the way of fancy features. But if you want a cheap, easy-to-use small TV for watching broadcast TV or streaming, this will provide just that. If you have a bit more room, however, there are superior options in terms of value – you can get a 1080p resolution, better colour accuracy and HDR for less than £150 with TVs like the 32-inch Toshiba 32LF2F53DB. (Image credit: Future) RCA Roku 24-inch HD TV review: price & release date £125 RRP Available now The RCA Roku 24-inch HD TV, also known as the RK24HF1, has a RRP of £125 and is available right now in the UK. It’s worth noting, however, that this model can often be found for a considerable chunk less. I’ve seen this TV go for less than £110 in the past and at the time of writing, Amazon are selling it for less than £120, so keep your eye out for discounts. Of course, this places the RCA Roku 24-inch HD TV firmly in the budget category, meaning it faces tough competition from the likes of JVC, TCL and Toshiba. If you’d like to weigh your options before pulling the trigger on a purchase, why not check out some strong alternatives in the ‘Also Consider’ section of this review. RCA Roku 24-inch HD TV review: Specs Swipe to scroll horizontally Screen type LED Refresh rate 60Hz HDR No Audio Dolby Audio Smart TV Roku HDMI ports 3x, including 1x ARC Should I buy the RCA Roku 24-inch HD TV? Swipe to scroll horizontally Attributes Notes Rating Features Offering three HDMI ports is welcome, includes solid picture and sound settings too. 4/5 Picture quality Decently bright display but lacks detail and crispness due to technical limitations. 2.5/5 Sound quality Narrow audio with thin bass but dialogue is usually clear enough. 2.5/5 Design Very plasticky build, slightly chunky, but remote is pretty neat. 2/5 Smart TV & menus Roku TV platform isn’t pretty but it’s responsive and easy-to-use. 3.5/5 Gaming No next-gen features or anything but performance is passable. 2.5/5 Value Better options exist in the 32-inch category for a tad more but this is still a cheap TV. 3/5 Buy it if… Don’t buy it if… RCA Roku 24-inch HD TV review: Also consider Swipe to scroll horizontally Header Cell – Column 0 RCA Roku 24-inch HD TV TCL 32S5400 LG 32LQ6300 Price £125 £179 £249 Screen type LED LED LED Refresh rate 60Hz 60Hz 50/60Hz HDR No HDR10, HLG HDR10, HLG Smart TV Roku Android TV webOS 22 HDMI ports 3x, including 1x ARC 2x HDMI 1.4 2x HDMI 1.4 How I tested the RCA Roku 24-inch HD TV (Image credit: Future) Tested at Future Labs TV testing room in various lighting conditions Measurements taken using Portrait Displays’ Calman software Tested with a variety of video content I used a variety of sources and apps to test picture quality on the RCA Roku 24-inch. I predominantly watched content via streaming services like Netflix and YouTube, ensuring I tested out the various picture and sound modes along the way. I also played on the Xbox Series X to cover gaming performance. When watching the TV, I selected video content that would expose its specific strengths and weaknesses of the TV. For instance, I tuned into The Batman to judge aspects such as colour fidelity, contrast and black-levels. But I also watched Smile and Sky News to assess competence in the audio department. Lastly, I took measurements with the help of Portrait Displays’ Calman calibration software. I measured peak brightness on a 10% window and 100% window, recorded the Delta-E values (which demonstrate the margin of error between the test pattern and what is displayed) for colour accuracy, grayscale and gamma. For all tests, I used the Murideo Six 8K test pattern generator. You can read all about how we test TVs at that link. First reviewed: January 2025 Read more about how we test