Avforums Podcast

This month Cas and the movies team bring you the Top 10 4K discs and Blu-rays to watch in February and take a look at video and audio restorations and the balancing act when giving classic films a new lease of life in 4K.

This month Cas and the movies team bring you the Top 10 films and TV shows to watch in February and take a look at how we best like to consume our films and TV shows and the balancing act between quality and convenience.

In this week's podcast, we have show reports from ISE, the largest home integration show on the planet which took place in Barcelona at the end of January. Plus, what are the big trends in home theater for 2024, and are the trends of audio downsizing and large screen TVs threatening the traditional ideas of home cinema?

In this week's podcast, we discuss what makes a perfect TV and the use cases end users have when it comes to choosing the correct TV for them. Plus, what do we think the big trends of 2024 will be when it comes to TVs, displays and calibration?

In our first podcast of 2024, we look back at the Hi-Fi vogues that stood out in the previous 12 months and predict where this will take the sector in the coming year. From emerging challenger brands providing affordable entry points to high-end audiophile kit at spiralling prices, we examine what to look out for going forward to help you make sense of the ever changing Hi-Fi market.

The movies team takes a look at some of the best movies you can see at the cinema, the best movies available on streaming and the best TV shows available on streaming, and considers, particularly in light of some of the disasters of 2023, whether it's about time Hollywood rethink their blockbuster model.

The movies team takes a look at some of the best 4K and Blu-ray releases, and looks at the current state of play in terms of disc release trends, boutique labels and how older, perhaps even niche, films appear to be faring well in gorgeous new 4K sets.

This week, we present a feature length look at the best TVs that were on show at CES 2024. Phil was there in person and got to see up close what was on offer. He chatted to most of the main TV manufacturers about their OLED and miniLED models and checked out interesting concepts such as transparent OLED and MicroLED displays. He also got to see some new projectors and speakers too. Phil reports back here and talks about some of the trends that could be emerging for 2024 along with an interesting tease at what Sony has up its TV sleeve.

In our Christmas podcast special, and the last episode of the year, the AVForums Hardware and Movie teams unite for a look at members’ standout moments, products or events of 2023 - be it hardware or software, a technological upgrade/innovation, or movie/music/gig. We’ll also be taking the time to look ahead and see what individuals are looking forward to over the coming 12 months.

This week, we dedicate the podcast to the winners of our Editor's Choice Awards for the 2023-24 period. We celebrate the TVs, Hi-Fi and Home AV products we've reviewed over the last 12 months across a variety of categories that have stood out to us as outstanding in their field through either technical or performance excellence, or just through sheer value for money. Join us to find out the tech we recommend.

Cas and the movies team close out the year with a look at what to look forward to in 2024, the films that were pushed back from 2023, the films that likely won't be seen until 2025 and what their most anticipated films of next year will be.

This week, Phil sums up the Philips OLED+908, our final flagship TV of the year, and sets the scene for the AVForums 2023-24 Editor's Choice Awards. Ed looks at the latest Hi-Fi news plus Musical Fidelity's A1 integrated amplifier, while new reviewer Matt will explain his time with not one but two home cinema speaker packages - one from Bowers & Wilkins and one from Monitor Audio.

This week Tom looks at Saltburn at the cinema, Mark goes old school Spielberg for Duel in 4K, Cas checks out the best TMNT with Mutant Mayhem in 4K, plus we go hard on streaming TV and look at whether TV show quality has finally surpassed theatrical movies.

This week, Phil delivers a double dose of Panasonic 4K TV reviews with the MZ1500 OLED and MX950 Mini LED models and sees how the two display technologies differ. There's also a look at the Parasound NewClassic 200 integrated amp from Martin while Ed checks out Audiolab's 9000N streamer, the latest addition to its 9000 series of flagship Hi-Fi products.

This week Tom talks about Scorsese's latest masterpiece, Killers of the Flower Moon, Cas revisits the now-overshadowed blockbuster of the year, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 in 4K, Mark picks a couple of gems from his Top 10 Blu-rays for November, and we discuss long and overlong movies - what epic films earn their length, and what ones outstay their welcome? Plus we take a look at all the latest streaming, TV and 4K releases.

This week, Phil reviews the eagerly awaited Sony A95L 4K QD OLED TV and considers how it stacks up against the year's other OLED flagships. There's a look at Yamaha's True X Dolby Atmos surround system plus recommended TV settings for streaming services while Ed dives into the best from the world of Hi-Fi. There's also the usual mix of the latest AV news, music recommendations and competitions.

This week Mark suffers through Exorcist: Believer, Simon looks at the other end of the horror spectrum, with the classic that is Rosemary's Baby in 4K, Cas takes a look at Jim Jarmusch's gem Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai on 4K, Tom talks about Loki Season 2, and we all celebrate House of Usher, plus Exorcist: Believer has inspired our podcast theme, which is the best and worst legacy sequels.

This week, Phil reviews the Hisense U8K 4K MiniLED TV and also looks at what budget TVs now have to offer viewers looking for value. Plus, Ed reports back from the UK HiFi Show Live 2023 event and checks out the Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 standmount speaker. There's also the usual round up of the latest AV and Hi-Fi news.

This week we go to the cinema for Gareth "Rogue One" Edwards' latest The Creator, turn to Netflix for the Benicio del Toro-led crime thriller, Reptile, switch aspect ratios for Disney's surprisingly great 4K release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, investigate Studiocanal's The Others 4K and revisit their release of Cutthroat Island on 4K, plus we'll take a look at the other works of Renny "Cliffhanger" Harlin to talk about his best and worst films.

This week, Phil reports back from the Philips' OLED+908 launch event on the latest TV to sport MLA technology. While Ed examines the Avid Accent integrated amp and looks at what really makes an audio review useful for a consumer.