Today’s world of home entertainment is digital. DVD has become the fastest-selling new format in history, bringing high-quality yet affordable entertainment to the comfort of your home. According to VIPer research, 72% of affluent households own a DVD player and, as prices for equipment tumble, there is ever more incentive to join the home-cinema revolution. For the price of a Ford Fiesta, you could own a drop-dead gorgeous cinema like the one pictured above.
Ten years ago, turning your living room into a movie theatre was a dream fulfilled only by the rich and famous. Nowadays, carefully chosen components can deliver superb sound and vision on relatively modest budgets. Be warned, though: such a setup could change your social life.
“I used to go to the cinema much more than I do now — I just don’t need to spend the money or schlep across to the retail park any more,” says Neil Hunter, of south London, who has had a home cinema for just over a year. “I like being able to watch what I want when I want, and I can pause a film if I want to. You can’t do that at the pictures.”
Such creature comforts can be bought cheaply, but most movie buffs prefer to invest anything between £1,000 and £30,000 on the main components of a cinema system — display, DVD player, surround-sound amplifier and Darth Vader-sized loudspeakers. Enthusiasts will tell you it is money well spent.
“My friends sometimes come round to watch films,” Hunter says. “I would never have put a film on for guests before, but the sound and pictures are brilliant — it makes a real evening in.”
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Sound quality has made the biggest difference to modern home cinema. New digital technology means that stereo is yesterday’s news. All home-theatre systems are at least 5.1 format, meaning five full-range channels and a separate, dedicated bass channel. Two front, one centre and two rear speakers, strategically placed behind the listener, give the unnerving sensation that the helicopter on the screen is flying around your living room and landing behind the sofa. The latest 7.1 and 8.1 systems are even more realistic, but some people prefer not to sacrifice their entire living room to speakers, so stick with 5.1.
There is a dizzying array of surround- sound formats used for multichannel movie soundtracks. Most of them give fairly similar results unless you have a complicated loudspeaker setup, but it helps to know the terms before you go shopping. The two big rivals are Dolby Digital and DTS, and each has its fans. Dolby Digital is great with sound effect-driven action movies, but many prefer the sweeter sound of DTS on DVDs with a high music content. The equipment listed on this page will read both formats: simply choose between them on the DVD’s options menu.
Not only does the right combination of components give startling sound and brilliant vision with DVD movies, it will also play your CD music collection with real verve, from Madonna to Mozart. Games fans can even pump their PlayStation through the system to enjoy shoot-’em-ups or adventures with sharp colour and nerve-jangling sound effects.
Music fans, in particular, should pay attention to the new surround-sound media formats — Super Audio CD (SACD) and DVD Audio. These make full use of multichannel audio to give stunning sound to your Jamelia. The three DVD machines listed here will play them both, offering music of a far higher quality than CD has ever managed.
So, how do you choose a system when there are so many options? Buying a home-cinema system is easy enough, but so is ending up being sorely disappointed — there is plenty of inferior kit dressed up in shiny, attractive boxes.
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Although cheap all-in-one products are available, the trick to building a quality system is mixing and matching the best from each manufacturer at your price point. Even the best components will sound useless if matched with unsuitable partners — a good amplifier won’t make bad speakers sound decent, for example.
Unfortunately, this means that selecting a system is beyond all but the most dedicated audiophile. Unless you take a crash course in acoustics, picking components requires expert advice from a serious home-cinema or hi-fi dealer (visit www.bada.co.uk to find the one closest to you) and a visit to a shop so that you can look and listen for yourself — you must try before you buy. Putting yourself in the hands of a salesman can be an uncomfortable experience, but with the information provided here, at least you are well armed against any cowboys.
The three systems here have been rigorously tested, listened to, measured in a lab and generally poked and prodded. They are the best of their breed, whether you are a perfectionist or a simple film-lover.
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David Price is editor of Hi-Fi World magazine (www.hi-fiworld.co.uk)
IDEAL CINEMA SYSTEM: £8,600
AMP: Arcam Diva AVR300, £1,300 The best home audiovisual amplifier has to be a master of all trades. It needs the power to make multichannel soundtracks such as Lord of the Rings gripping, as well as the subtlety of a good hi-fi. The AVR300 is exactly that. The sledgehammer bass, endless power and lightning dynamics wow with DVD movies, while the smoothness, sweetness and clarity make it a blast with your old Blondie CDs. Build and component choice are exemplary. British design at its best.
DVD PLAYER: Denon DVD-A11, £1,700 Without a high-quality source, amplifiers and speakers are worthless — and this disc-spinner is an ideal choice. The Denon plays almost any disc, from multichannel DVD movies to cutting-edge DVD Audio. Video performance is among the best, with pin-sharp images, dramatic contrasts and rich colour. Slip in an audio disc and the sound astounds, with sumptuous bass and smooth vocals. There is little to beat this beauty.
DISPLAY: Pioneer PDP-434HDE, £3,500 Plasma screens — flat, wall-mounted displays — are the holy grail of the video world. With a vivid picture and great flexibility, this Pioneer is a feast for the eyes. The 43in monster boasts one of the best pictures ever seen: clarity, contrast and colour quality are sublime. Kill Bill will jump from the screen and Shrek’s tones almost sing.
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LOUDSPEAKERS: Elac FS 207.2 x 2 (£1,000), Elac FS 203.2 x 2 (£600), Elac CC 200.2 (£500) Strength in depth is required to make the most of digital entertainment — films are a different proposition from music. Bangs and crashes from action-movie soundtracks pack a dizzying punch with these Elacs, but their finesse is only properly appreciated with music. They thunder out the throaty jet engines of Top Gun, yet display incredible detail and grace when playing a violin concerto. Thoroughly immersive.
ALTERNATIVE THEATRES FOR YOUR LIFESTYLE
THRIFT SYSTEM: £1,610 Although twice the price of an all-in-one DVD theatre system, carefully matched separates give dramatically better sound and vision. These well-integrated units come from makers specialising in quality. The result is versatility, compatibility with the latest digital formats and great performance.
Display: Sanyo 32DFN2, £400 Even as flat-panel (LCD) prices plummet, a premium widescreen cathode-ray tube (CRT) television proves the worth of this technology, which has been perfected over the years. This Sanyo 32in design outperforms entry-level models. Crisp, rich pictures and good connectivity make this sterling value.
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DVD player: Pioneer DV-565, £160 Supermarket DVD spinners can be bought at one-fifth of the cost of this Pioneer, but you will see why it is worth spending the extra when you power this up. Pictures are vibrant, stable and detailed, while soundtracks boast bell-like clarity. It is well made, too, with easy setup menus and a well-ordered remote.
Amp: Cambridge Audio 540D, £250 Startlingly good value: not only does this AV receiver have more power than most will need, the warmth, depth and three-dimensionality of the sound sets it apart from its rivals. A sleek metal fascia, a beautiful alloy remote control and easy access to a range of features complete a remarkable package.
Speakers: KEF Q4 x2, Q1 x2, Q6c x1, £800 total Although they are inexpensive, the styling and finish on these speakers is better than many at four times the price. Exquisitely contoured cabinets and classy drive units give superb sonics for music or films, albeit in modest-sized rooms. Adding the matching PSW2500 subwoofer (£300) gives extra clout to action-movie soundtracks, but for most folk it won’t be needed.
DREAM SYSTEM: £29,840 Those who demand the best must pay for it, but the Roman Abramoviches of this world are rewarded with great build quality, finish and performance. The line-up reads like a list of top designer labels — the Cartiers and Rolexes of the hi-fi world. These are blue-chip British brands employing the best materials, technology and styling. The plasma display, meanwhile, is the biggest and best from Japan. The system, finished in glass, aluminium and carbon fibre respectively, gives a glittering home-cinema experience — with perfect pictures and mind-blowing sound.
Display: Pioneer PDP-504HDE (£5,000)
DVD player: Linn Unidisk 1.1 (£6,500)
Amps: Meridian G68 (£4,995) and Meridian G55 (£2,695)
Speakers: Wilson Benesch Curve x2; Wilson Benesch Act x2; Wilson Benesch Centre x1; REL Stadium III subwoofer (£10,650 total)