All posts tagged: home entertainment

8 Best Computer Speakers (2026) After Testing 25+ Pairs

8 Best Computer Speakers (2026) After Testing 25+ Pairs

Published by skeptic

Other Computer Speakers I Liked There are tons of computer speakers on the market, and many of the ones I tested are perfectly fine, but don’t deserve a spot above for one reason or another. Photograph: Simon Hill Creative Pebble Nova for $240: These eye-catching orb-shaped speakers with RGB rings around the base are a statement piece for your desk. They are big, angled at 45 degrees, and you have the choice of a flat base or elevated stands. They light up, produce a pleasant sound that’s rich across the board and with real depth, and can, frankly, get far too loud for your desktop. I was also impressed by the virtual surround sound for gaming. Don’t make the mistake of thinking the Creative App is superfluous, because it’s packed with options, from an equalizer to dialogue enhancement to RGB lighting controls. While I love the stand, it made them too tall for my desk because of my dual monitors. I also found the touch controls a bit finicky, and I advise switching off the …

Leica Cine Play 1 Review: Pricey but Worth Every Penny

Leica Cine Play 1 Review: Pricey but Worth Every Penny

Published by skeptic

VIDAA provides access to most streaming services, with Fandango at Home being a notable exception. (Leica reps stated that they may add this service at a later date.) Benchmark Results and First Impressions Apart from minor brightness issues when using the Cine Play 1 in brighter environments, this projector passed my benchmark tests. Colors were vibrant, skin tones did not appear washed out, and a butterfly scene showed subtle differences between the shades of yellows and oranges in my test clips. In comparison, colors on the TCL NXTVISION were noticeably duller. The Cine Play 1 also excels as a gaming display, with superb color reproduction and stutter-free performance when tested with Crimson Desert paired with Acer’s Nitro 60 gaming desktop. I found that the Cine Play 1 works fine during the day, but performance is best in a dark room. The projector is rated at 3,000 lumens and comes with a 1500:1 contrast ratio, similar to rivals in the midrange category. The Cine Play 1 supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+, IMAX Enhanced, and Dolby Atmos Audio. …

Klipsch the Fives II Speakers Review for Music, Movies, More (2026)

Klipsch the Fives II Speakers Review for Music, Movies, More (2026)

Published by skeptic

But, the Fives aren’t perfect: Compared to other high-end speakers I’ve tried in the last year—some of which made me fear my Sheetrock would splinter—the Fives don’t generate as powerful a sound. The high notes at the end of the song “Mio Cristo Piange Diamanti” by Rosalía sounded a bit thin as well; when I played the same song on the Focal Mu-so Hekla speaker, the sound seemed to split air molecules. I wasn’t disappointed with the sound quality for music, but the comparisons were helpful nonetheless. For the price and size, I still loved The Fives II for music. It Won’t Shake Your Home Theater, but It’s Strong for the Price For movies and shows, the new HDMI 2.1 eARC port more than justifies the higher price tag. (The original the Fives did not support Atmos and cost $800 a pair.) In the movie War Machine on Netflix, I noticed the explosions didn’t exactly shake the room, but they did sound distinct enough. Even with two-channel audio, the Dolby Atmos support made battle scenes …

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 5 Review: Basic Bar, Big Sound

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 5 Review: Basic Bar, Big Sound

Published by skeptic

Most folks will want to connect via the HDMI port, which syncs up with your TV’s HDMI eARC/ARC input for high-quality sound transference and the ability to control power and volume with your TV remote. The optical input is a backup for (much) older TVs, or even a CD player, but there’s no spare HDMI port for connecting a Blu-ray player or game console directly, let alone an analog input for legacy audio gear like a turntable. You won’t want to go much further without downloading the Bravia Connect app, which walks you through the full setup process and is the only way to access to settings like Bluetooth pairing so you can stream music from your phone. A single power button at the bar’s left flank is the sole onboard control key, while a two-dot LED system up front provides a basic visual display. The Bar Necessities Photograph: Ryan Waniata Sony’s app picks up where the hardware leaves off, including a handy function that identifies your current sound format and resolution quality. The app’s …

Epson Lifestudio Grand Plus Review: Rich Colors, Gemini Support

Epson Lifestudio Grand Plus Review: Rich Colors, Gemini Support

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Ultrashort-throw (UST) projectors offer more flexibility than traditional (long-throw) models. No one can ever step in front of one and block the projection, since the unit doesn’t require distance and can sit up close to the screen rather than at the back of the room. This also lets all your streaming gear, a soundbar, and a game console connect close to the screen. At $3,800, the Epson Lifestudio Grand Plus (LS970) short-throw projector has a higher price tag than the Epson Lifestudio Grand released last year. The Grand Plus specs are a big leap forward over that model as well: a 150-inch image instead of 120 inches, and 4,000 lumens of brightness instead of 3,600. Minus a few quirks, it’s a strong home cinema projector, but Epson also makes a better option, the long-throw Pro Cinema LS9000, that costs only $200 more and is easier to configure. Also, the Leica Cine Play 1, another long-throw projector, outputs even more vibrant colors. Ultimately, it comes down to a choice between short-throw and long-throw, and the Grand …

Focal Mu-So Hekla Soundbar Review: Dolby Atmos With 1 Speaker

Focal Mu-So Hekla Soundbar Review: Dolby Atmos With 1 Speaker

Published by skeptic

I watched Avatar: Fire and Ash using the Fandango at Home app, and in one scene, there’s an alarm chime during an attack sequence that fills the room. A main character is running out of oxygen, and you can hear the warning beeps move from the side to the center. Even when I watched Crime 101 using the Amazon Prime app, the droning synths and pounding drums sounded ultrarealistic, even compared to my own floor-standing speakers. All good so far, but I will be curious to get my hands on the LG Sound Suite speakers, because they are the first to support Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, which lets you put speakers anywhere. With the soundbar, sub, front, and rear speakers, the LG system could be a top pick for its unique feature, just as the Mu-so Hekla is for its one-box setup. For movies, the Mu-so Hekla could even replace an AV receiver if you are space-constrained. I hate running speaker wire everywhere, so a stand-alone speaker does have a certain appeal. In side-by-side testing, however, …

Bose Brings Back Its ‘Lifestyle’ Branding With New Speakers for the Home

Bose Brings Back Its ‘Lifestyle’ Branding With New Speakers for the Home

Published by skeptic

Bose has three new speakers to spice up your home listening. The company’s new “Lifestyle Collection”—designed with a snazzy fabric-wrapped grille and gentle curves—includes the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker, Lifestyle Ultra Subwoofer, and Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar. All of them can be connected to multiple units and third-party speakers via AirPlay and Google Cast for a better multi-room audio experience. These audio products mark a “reentering” into the home speaker space for the company, bringing back the iconic Lifestyle lineup that originally debuted in 1990—known for simplicity and ease of use—which Bose subsequently discontinued in 2022. To no surprise, Bose says the Ultra Soundbar is the “best soundbar we have ever made,” and that the Ultra Speaker might even be one of the company’s best in its storied history. The wireless speaker starts at $299, with a $349 limited-edition model in Driftwood Sand; the soundbar costs $1,099, and the subwoofer is $899. They’re available for preorder now and go on sale May 15. Bose Luxury Ultra Speaker in Driftwood Sand. Courtesy of Bose These Wi-Fi-enabled speakers support …

Soundcore Nebula P1 Projector Review (2026): Compact and Portable for Indoor-Outdoor Viewing

Soundcore Nebula P1 Projector Review (2026): Compact and Portable for Indoor-Outdoor Viewing

Published by skeptic

To boost the sound or picture quality inside your house, you can connect the P1 to an AV receiver or a soundbar using the one HDMI port over eARC. But even so, the P1 can only do so much because it doesn’t support 4K Ultra resolution, HDR10+ color quality, or even Dolby Atmos Audio using the included speakers. Its key feature is portability. (Dolby Atmos did work with an AV receiver connected using the one HDMI eARC port.) Inside and Out Photograph: John Brandon Aware of the P1’s specifications and its main purpose of portability, I kept my expectations in check as I started testing. I wasn’t looking for exceptional performance with the P1, but when I popped up a Houston Rockets game on YouTube TV in both my windowless testing room and in my family room (on a bright day, no less), I was impressed. The sheer size of the projected image (110 inches) made for an immersive experience. That said, the game didn’t exactly look bright and had average contrast for a low-cost …

Hisense U7SG TV Review (2026): Better Design, Great Value

Hisense U7SG TV Review (2026): Better Design, Great Value

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Unlike previous years in what TV nerds like me call the “brightness wars,” the U7SG doesn’t outblast its predecessor, but it’s not a problem. It gets around three times as bright as anything you can stream (which is naturally capped due to compression), and has enough firepower for all but the flashiest 4K HDR Blu-rays. Its color processing shows a little more restraint than in previous models. It’s not quite what I’d call “accurate to the director’s intent,” like the best TVs I test, but it does keep itself from blasting your eyeballs most of the time. The high brightness is matched by deep black levels, without much of the “blooming” or “haloing” around bright objects that can dilute the contrast of many budget-friendly TVs. It’s not as striking as OLED TVs, which can control each of their millions of pixels on demand, but it’ll wow you in deep space scenes just the same. I was pleased that the TV’s odd local dimming issue didn’t crop up in real-world content, but the picture does tend …

Best Bluetooth Speakers (2026): JBL, Sonos, Bose, and More

Best Bluetooth Speakers (2026): JBL, Sonos, Bose, and More

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Honorable Mentions Here are some other good speakers we’ve tested that didn’t quite make the cut for our top picks: Bose Soundlink Max for $329: The Bose SoundLink Max has quickly become my favorite speaker to drag along to outdoor events. It’s not as big as the boombox that John Cusack held over his head in the ’80s, but this robust, rubberized speaker has bold sound and gets loud enough to woo your sweethearts with a love song. I also like that you can plug in your phone while it plays music, which is nice for those of us who are forgetful on our days off. Bold bass, even when outside, makes this good for dance parties in the middle of nowhere, and the handle is easy to tie up to packs, kayaks, or tents. —Parker Hall Brane Audio Brane X for $499: The Brane X speaker may be shockingly spendy, but this lunchbox-sized bomber has something no other portable we’ve tested has: A true, fully functional subwoofer. Thanks to Brane’s mystifying RAD (Repel Attract …