Sony DAV-IS10 review

For those who want their cinema system to be heard and not seen, the DAV-IS10 is perfect. The secret to the stonking sound lies in the large, extremely hard-working dual driver sub.

Sound, no fury

Big brother sits like Jupiter in the midst of her moons, covering the midrange frequencies that the minuscule sats can’t quite handle. And as long as the sub stays close to its minions, this works a treat.  

Detail levels, scale and dynamics are, frankly, astounding, given the size of the units.

Small is beautiful

Whether you’re a minimalist or simply can’t bear to add more clutter, these won’t make a mess of your pad. Even the main unit, though obviously bigger than the satellites, is brilliantly compact and stylish.

Style doesn’t come at the price of content, however.  The system still manages to cram in loads of features, from 1080i HDMI upscaling to digital audio inputs, and an auto set-up system that’s quick, easy and accurate.

Video with that, sir?

The video quality is just as good as the sound. The upscaler works a treat and DVD playback is rich in colour, with more definition than the Oxford English Dictionary.

You’ll still need a maze of cables to connect up the system, so there’s some carpet lifting to do if you fall for the DAV-IS10’s petit form. And hand on heart, you will get a better midrange if you get larger speakers.

But with space so often at a premium, what Sony is offering is hardly a compromise at all.