High-end AV, in depth
The best audio and video gear, examined in depth.
Top Tier AV Gear looks closely at flagship projectors, separates, speakers and soundbars: what the published measurements and long-term reviews say, where the money goes, and whether the step up is worth it for a demanding listener or viewer.
What we publish
Written for: Enthusiasts and audiophiles comparing flagship models who care about measurements and long-term use.
Flagship analyses
Reference projectors, amplifiers and speakers, read through their published measurements and long-term reviews.
Is the step up worth it?
What a flagship adds over the model below it, point by point, with the sources linked.
Amplifier power calculator
How much power your speakers need, from their sensitivity and your listening distance.
Latest guides
Flagship analysis
Flagship home-cinema projectors: what the top specifications really addNative 4K panels against pixel shifting, measured brightness, native contrast, motorised lenses and laser light: what the most expensive projectors add, point by point.
Flagship analysis
Flagship soundbar or separate speakers: is the step up worth it?A point-by-point comparison of top soundbar systems with an AV receiver and separate speakers: placement, height effects, formats, room correction and upgrades.
Flagship analysis
AV receiver power ratings: what "150 W per channel" really means for a flagship systemHow amplifier power is rated under the FTC rule, why multichannel ratings can hide a catch, and how to work out how much power your speakers and room actually need.
How we work
- Sources first. Every figure comes from the manufacturer's published information or from published reviews, and we link to them.
- No invented ratings. We only show a score when we can say where it comes from and how it was calculated.
- We do not sell products. Some manufacturers pay us to create content about their brands; those pieces say so at the top. More about how we work.