Yes, we know. Forty-nine grand. You could buy a fairly decent brand-new electric car for that sort of money. We’re not blind to the realities of daily expenses in today’s difficult times; but there’s also nothing wrong in dreaming about what you might do if you won the lottery. And what better way to spend your money than investing in years of entertainment?
Here, then, is a home cinema to do the name truly proud. It covers all the bases as far as getting your movies on the screen, from streaming to physical discs. Most importantly, it uses a fantastic combination of products for both picture and sound that will match many a cinema at which people happily pay to watch a film.
The major money here is invested in the projector and the video server. We forever highlight the importance of sound in home cinema – and we certainly stand by that – but without a truly top-notch picture there is little point in even starting.
The system
- Projector: JVC DLA-NZ800 (£15,999 / $16,000 / AU$24,999)
- Streamer/storage: Kaleidescape Strato C and Terra Prime (£17,000 / $13,990 / AU$33,000 approx)
- Blu-ray Player: Panasonic DP-UB9000 (£999 / $1,389 / AU$2,089)
- AV amplifier: Marantz Cinema 30 (£3999 / $4500 / AU$7900)
- Speaker package: Fyne Audio F8SP AV (£10,999 / $14,999 / AU$24,000)
- Total price: £48,996 / $50,878 / AU$91,988 approx
Projector: JVC DLA-NZ800
Our review of this JVC read: “So, can the DLA-NZ800 live up to our very lofty expectations? It goes further than that: it smashes them.” Well then, 16 grand or not, this is a projector that punches above even its hefty weight.
The most striking aspect of this projector’s picture performance is how natural it looks. The picture is expertly balanced while still oozing rich and engaging detail. Colours are expertly judged, with a warmth to skin tones that strike a balance between looking lively without veering into unnatural.
Contrast is also a key strength of the DLA-NZ800 – the solidity and three-dimensionality of the image are a sight to behold. And black levels are simply stellar by projector standards, certainly avoiding the greyish illuminated blacks we see on less accomplished projectors.
What’s most impressive, though, about this behemoth JVC projector is how adept it is at picking out intricate details. The 8K e-shift mode is truly impressive in how it sharpens the outlines of subjects on screen and how it digs up finer textural details on clothing, skin and within the environment.
Streamer/storage: Kaleidescape Strato C and Terra Prime
As for the Kaleidescape server and player set-up, while it has its shortcomings (some significant content gaps in the UK chief among them) it is head and shoulders above other streaming options we have seen. It is, clearly, a luxury purchase – and the Blu-ray player here, as well as filling in the content gaps from the Kaleidescape duo, would be a good standalone option to save lots of money – for convenience and performance it is in a league of its own.
Blu-ray player: Panasonic DP-UB9000
We touched on the Panasonic DP-UB9000 above. Blu-ray players are relatively few and far between now, and this model is undeniably a little long in the tooth – it won a What Hi-Fi? Award back in 2018 – but it still stands proud as a top-notch movie player, and will do sterling service in this high-end set-up. As we say in our review of the player: “This is a focused, high-performance machine – and a home cinema powerhouse.” It will be the go-to option for any movie the Kaleidescape does not have access to – and it will provide images on a par with the server.
AV amplifier: Marantz Cinema 30
We said sound is a huge chunk of the enjoyment of cinema, and we meant it. The two products taking on sonic duties are the stunning amplifier from Marantz, and an interesting speaker package from Fyne Audio, which we have taken the liberty of tweaking a touch for the purposes of this system.
The Marantz Cinema 30 has an uncanny ability to place sounds precisely in three-dimensional space. Combine that with its knack for producing an absolutely huge and enveloping soundscape and you have a masterclass in home cinema sonic design. You are placed deep in the action, and you hear the sounds the director intends you to hear, not the speakers.
We always get the sense that the Marantz is in perfect control. Subjected to our usual Blade Runner 2049 test scene, the Cinema 30 delivers the near sub-sonic bass with oodles of weight and all of the punch required to drive things forward as intended, while it gives no indication that it is being even remotely stretched.
It’s not all about crash, bang, wallop, though. The atmospheric hunt scene in the dust cloud from Dune Part II proves that this amplifier can do quiet, brooding tension with the very best. As we say in our review of the Cinema 30: “As the soundtrack fades to near silence, we can hear only footsteps in the sand and the tense breathing of the increasingly fearful Harkonnen troops. A loud yell from one character temporarily shatters the tension, echoes throughout the room and fades organically to another brief period of quiet tension. Then we get the precise thumps and slices as soldiers are picked off one by one. As the Fremen chant emerges from the dusty darkness, you can fully appreciate why the ordinarily fearless Harkonnen are suddenly so afraid.” That, really, is the perfect example of how the sound of a movie can utterly engross you in the experience as a whole.
Speaker package: Fyne Audio F8SP AV
And the Fyne Audio F8SP AV package contains the speakers to do it all justice. Now, this package gained four stars from us, so you may be asking why it is in this system. We say in the review that it will require careful pairing with an AV receiver; the stunningly refined Marantz covers that base easily. And then we also suggest a tweak to the package we reviewed. The front three speakers in this set-up are simply brilliant, “almost disarming in their precision and speed, adding a tangible layer of excitement to action sequences and making nearly every sudden move in horror films unbearably unnerving.
“The integration across the front is seamless, with a broad soundstage, tremendous dynamic range and a scale that is enveloping and engaging.”
It is only with a slight integration issue with the rear pair of speakers that our minor issues came when we were reviewing the package. So here, we suggest doubling up on the 502SP rather than using the smaller floorstanders at the rear. Then, you will have a truly stunning, well-integrated package to do true justice to the abilities of the Marantz amplifier, and the wonderful images that will accompany the sound.
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