Home theater reviews

Reviews of the equipment that costs the most and gets researched hardest: projectors, receivers, subwoofers, screens and televisions. Each one names what the product does badly as well as what it does well, and points you at the alternative when it is the better buy.

These reviews draw on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested these products ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise.

AWOL Vision LTV-3000 Pro review

Triple laser colour with working 3D, from a brand most buyers have never heard of.

~$1,900

BenQ HT3560 review

A true 4K projector that gets colour right out of the box, if your room suits its narrow placement.

~$2,100

BenQ TK700 review

A 4K projector that treats input lag as the headline specification rather than an afterthought.

~$1,200

BenQ W4100i review

A bright 4K home theatre projector with smart features built in rather than bolted on.

~$2,800

BenQ X3100i review

A 4LED light source, very low response time, and nothing to replace.

~$1,800

Denon AVR-X3800H review

Nine amplified channels, thirteen channels of processing, and the upgrade Denon charges extra for.

~$1,800

Elite Screens Aeon CLR3 review

An ultra short throw projector without an ALR screen is a projector you have not finished buying.

~$1,300

Epson Home Cinema 5050UB review

The projector that defined the enthusiast mid-range, and the two things that now count against it.

~$3,000

Epson Home Cinema LS11000 review

What the extra money over the 5050UB actually buys, and what it does not.

~$3,800

Epson EpiqVision LS800 review

An ultra short throw built for brightness rather than colour purity, and why that trade suits most living rooms.

~$2,700

Hisense PX3-PRO review

A triple laser ultra short throw that only makes sense with the right screen.

~$2,800

LG C4 OLED review

Why this is the television most people should buy, and the one room where it is the wrong choice.

~$1,200

Monolith THX Ultra 13 inch subwoofer review

A THX Ultra certified thirteen inch subwoofer, and an honest look at who actually needs one.

~$2,000

Optoma UHD35STX review

A short throw projector for rooms too small to place a conventional one.

~$1,250

Samsung QN90D review

The television to buy when OLED cannot cope with your windows.

~$1,600

Samsung S95D OLED review

A matte anti-glare panel that solves the one problem OLED televisions have always had.

~$1,800

SVS PB-2000 Pro review

Why a ported twelve inch subwoofer changes a room more than a better receiver will.

~$1,200

SVS Prime Tower review

Speakers outlast every other component in a system, which is an argument for buying them properly once.

~$1,200

TCL QM8L review

Seventy-five inches of Mini LED at a price that undercuts the established brands, and what you give up.

~$1,700

Yamaha RX-A4A AVENTAGE review

Seven channels, serious construction, and the layout question that decides whether it fits your plans.

~$1,200