TVS AND ACCESSORIES Home Entertainment
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through high-specification soundbars, at both entry and premium levels, and growing interest in lifestyle projection. This new AV boom coincides with ever- changing viewing habits. Portable projectors have become the display de jour, while streaming platforms routinely deliver Dolby Atmos audio alongside UHD video. Consumers still want to supersize their sound and vision, they just don’t want complexity getting in the way.
Soundbars remain king Soundbars have been mainstream buys since the early noughties, but the sector still has plenty of legs in 2026. According to Futuresource Consulting, the global consumer audio market was worth over $120 billion last year, and growing, with soundbars and loudspeakers leading the way.
Picture this! T
he TV market may be going through something of a reset in 2026, but that’s not distracting the wider home entertainment market, which continues to find forward momentum
The home entertainment scene has never looked more buoyant. Steve May reports on the latest trends in immersive audio and lifestyle projection
In the UK, upstart outfit Majority Audio is attempting to reset expectations when it comes to price and performance. Its debut Bowfell range spans compact 2.1 solutions to full 5.1 Dolby Atmos, with price tags that vigorously undercut much of the competition.
speakers and a wireless subwoofer, all for less than £200. It’s a plug & play proposition, with obvious appeal. HDMI ARC and digital optical inputs provide easy connection to TVs, while Bluetooth 5.3, USB and AUX offer everyday versatility. When it comes to sales, the hook is simple: genuine surround sound with height effects, at a price that’s not exactly lofty.
Bowfell halo atmos 5 soundbar
The Bowfell Halo Atmos delivers a 5.1-channel configuration with 300W of output, wireless rear
Step down to the Bowfell Axis Dolby, at £89.95, and you still have a 2.1-channel system with Dolby Audio processing and HDMI ARC. It’s an easy recommendation if a customer is upgrading from TV speakers for the first time. The spec sheet does the selling: 120W output, dedicated subwoofer, straightforward connectivity. Job done. Pop it in the boot. If Majority represents the democratisation of immersive audio, then Bang & Olufsen continues to operate at the opposite end of the spectrum. The Beosound Premiere is unapologetically expensive, at £3,900, but it’s a centrepiece resplendent in aluminium, Black Anthracite and Gold Tone.
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