Panasonic SC-BTT290 review

Navigating the BTT290’s menus was incredibly easy thanks to a sensible layout and large icons. Despite the simple appearance, there are a huge number of image quality options available, including chroma processing, upscaling and colour adjustment. In practice, this helped Blu-ray films look incredibly detailed, with precise edges and vibrant colours, as well as a level of contrast missing from other players we’ve tried. Up-scaling adds extra sharpness to DVDs, giving the illusion of a higher resolution, but it brings added noise with it. If your TV has a noise reduction function, it could be put to good use here.

Despite their small stature, the speakers produced clear and precise audio that brought 5.1 soundtracks to life. Although they need more careful placement than the floor-standing satellites that come with the more expensive BTT490, the rear pair was still able to create a realistic and enveloping sound. The sound filled our test chamber at under two-thirds volume, we couldn’t detect any signs of pop or distortion and the centre speaker never felt drowned out by the other satellites.

The amount of bass produced by the subwoofer impressed us. Even though it’s a passive system, it rumbled when required. Those wanting to shake their furniture will probably be left disappointed, but it produced more than enough bass to bring added depth to our test films.

At £289, the BTT290 is a tempting proposition for anyone looking to upgrade their home cinema setup. It might lack the powerful audio of more expensive systems, but it has all the connections and picture quality settings that a small room could need.