HOME THEATER GOES HOLLYWOOD
A cutting-edge speaker system and TV that are worth the hype
IMMERSIVE SOUND
The cineplex might not beat your living-room sofa for comfort, but it likely does for sound. The solution: speakers that use the same 3D sound format, called Dolby Atmos, that many theaters do. Unlike previous surround sound, Atmos uses a height element: Its speakers fire up toward the ceiling, enabling “object-based” sound — meaning a plane moving onscreen will sound like it’s flying right over your head. While Atmos-enabled home equipment has been around since 2014, uptake has been slow due to cost and a limited catalog of movies and shows tracked with the tech. No longer. Atmos-enabled home-theaterin-a-box speaker units priced less than $500 just hit the market; Apple’s 4K TV supports Atmos; and Amazon Prime Video has started streaming content in a 3D sound format, joining rivals such as Netflix.
SHARPEST-EVER PICTURE
While many of us are just upgrading to 4K LCD TVs, Samsung is already developing a set that far surpasses anything in stores — and may even shift what we think a TV should look like. “The Wall” TV, a behemoth set that’s 12 feet across and just a few inches thick, is powered by micro-LED panels, which put out a picture both brighter and blacker than competing technologies. And since it’s essentially made from small panels stitched together, a micro-LED display like the Wall could one day be built modularly to nearly any size or shape a buyer wants. Commercial units are available for preorder now; a consumer version six feet wide and just over an inch deep is rumored in 2019. JESSE WILL