Rewind: new B&W speakers, an unexpected update to LG OLED TVs, affordable Dolby Atmos and more

(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

It may be a Bank Holiday Monday here in the UK, but that won’t stop us from publishing the latest instalment of our weekly Rewind column.

In it our team details the top developments in the world of home cinema and hi-fi, making it quick and easy for you to stay on top of the latest news.

It was another busy one in the What Hi-Fi? offices and test rooms. Over the past seven days, our experts revealed their final thoughts on Samsung’s latest TVs, while big-name audio brands including Denon and Bowers & Wilkins unveiled new products.

Samsung’s third-generation QD-OLED is its best to date

Samsung QE65S95D QD-OLED TV — (Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

This week our team of testers delivered their definitive verdict on Samsung’s latest flagship QD-OLED, the S95D. During testing, we were pleased to find it’s a massive step forward for Samsung, one that offers clear improvements on last year’s Samsung S95C, which scored four stars. Highlights include a higher max brightness, significantly improved contrast and colour accuracy and an excellent suite of gaming features. The combination earned it a perfect five-star rating from our reviewers.

Read our full Samsung S95D review

LG’s updating its older OLED TVs

LG C2 OLED TV — (Image credit: LG Electronics)

Our S95D review wasn’t the only big news in the world of OLED TVs. LG also revealed significant software updates to its older LG C2 and LG G2 OLED TVs. These include massive improvements to the TVs' UI to make them more modern and in line with the company's newer models. The only slight downer is that there’s no word on whether it’ll do the same for its cheaper A2 and B2 OLEDs.

Read the full story: LG has released a major software update on the C2 and G2 OLED TVs – here's how to get it

Denon's latest Dolby Atmos soundbar takes aim at Sony

Denon DTH-S218 soundbar on a wooden media unit sitting beneath a wall mounted TV — (Image credit: Denon)

Denon unveiled its new DHT-S218 Dolby Atmos soundbar last week. The headline-grabbing detail is the DHT-S218’s price, with it being set to retail for £249 (around $315 / AU$480). This could make it fantastic value for money considering its spec sheet, which includes HDMI eARC connectivity, Atmos support and a powerful-looking 2.1 configuration. The configuration includes two 25mm tweeter units, two 90x40mm racetrack midrange drivers and two 75mm subwoofer units. We’ll be keen to see how it performs against rivals like the Sony HT-S2000 when we get it into our testing rooms later this year.

Read the full story: Denon's affordable Dolby Atmos soundbar has Sony and JBL in its sights

The Bowers & Wilkins 700 S3 speakers get the Signature treatment

Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Signature floorstanders in Midnight Blue — (Image credit: Bowers & Wilkins)

Bowers & Wilkins unveiled its new 700 S3 Signature speakers last week. Specifically, it lifted the curtain on new Signature variants of its 702 S3, 705 S3 and HTM71 S3 speakers. The new speakers feature a myriad of tweaks and upgrades both to their internals and aesthetics, that B&W claim make them “perfection, perfected”. We’ll be keen to check if that claim proves accurate when we get the new 700 S3 Signature range in for testing.

Read the full story: Bowers & Wilkins' 700 S3 Signature speaker series promises "perfection, perfected"

We made a new hi-fi system

Wharfedale and Mission recommended system — (Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

Eager beavers that we are, the tinkerers in our test rooms created a new What Hi-Fi? Recommended System last week. The system aims to couple the convenience of modern streaming with the retro appeal of top-end analogue performance using Wharfedale and Mission components. If you’ve got cash to burn and need to upgrade your hi-fi set-up you should 100 per cent check it out!

Read the full story: We've built a brilliant vinyl and streaming hi-fi system powered by Mission and Wharfedale

Cambridge Audio's first ANC earbuds impress

Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 wireless earbuds — (Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

This week our reviewers finished testing Cambridge Audio's first-ever ANC earbuds, the Melomania M100, and they found plenty to like. Highlights include a clean, detailed, spacious sound, reliable ANC and voice prompts from everyone's favourite vampire, Matt Berry – yes you read that last part right. However, they didn't quite earn perfect marks, with our testers finding they have a tendency to force Cambridge's sonic character on songs, rather than play them the way the artist intended.

Read our full Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 review

MORE:

We rank the best OLED TVs we've tested

These are the best floorstanding speakers we've reviewed

Check out our picks of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars

Alastair is What Hi-Fi?’s editor in chief. He has well over a decade’s experience as a journalist working in both B2C and B2B press. During this time he’s covered everything from the launch of the first Amazon Echo to government cyber security policy. Prior to joining What Hi-Fi? he served as Trusted Reviews’ editor-in-chief. Outside of tech, he has a Masters from King’s College London in Ethics and the Philosophy of Religion, is an enthusiastic, but untalented, guitar player and runs a webcomic in his spare time.