Critical popcorn

We’ve reached that seasonal time of year, and so my Critical Popcorn Gift Guides return!

This year we’re celebrating the best films of the year (old and new) to Stream or on 4K UHD, a must-have iconic Paul McCartney photo book, the best affordable and impressive all-in-one Music Systems, a UK-based tech company with a lot to offer. And that’s not all, we also enjoy a selection of festive Funko Pops! to get your geek on, plus huge giveaways!

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Majority D40X Bookshelf Speakers

In essence, the Majority D40X Bluetooth Bookshelf Speakers do exactly what they say on the box (wherever those bookshelves may be) yet they bring it with a huge kick of speaker power – so much so that on the first test, this was some of the loudest 5.3 Bluetooth speaker streaming I’ve ever heard for a set of speakers so compact, coming in at 17.9 x 13.7 x 22.3 cm.

While the right speaker is setup with the power socket, there’s a wire from the right to connect to the left – so they will have to be reasonably close together, and I’d say this is why they’re called ‘bookshelf’ speakers, as you could use them as book ends just as successfully as them sitting on a smaller shelf by themselves.

As well as connecting via your Bluetooth compatible device, these also have an optical in (for a possible TV connection), plus a slot for a MicroSD and the USB drive option to play directly out of the speakers. Connectivity wise, it’s literally ready to go via the Bluetooth connection. You’ll hear a little voice saying ‘Bluetooth’ before and after you connect via the device of your choice, and you’re instantly. I’d recommend having that volume level ready to turn down a bit on your first use or – better still – make sure they’re not next to your head like they were for me. Classic work, Dan.

The speakers themselves are self-powered with built-in amps for that stereo sound, including 4” bass drivers and they genuinely pack one hell of a punch when it comes to output. These would be perfect for anything from music, to spicing up that Home Cinema to gaming, and then some. The reason for this is their Kelvar come setup (i.e. not your usual cheap plastic) with that 70w sound booming out – easy to recommend!

You can pick up the Majority D40X here or the D40’s here: https://amzn.to/3uFaWem

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Majority Snowdon II Soundbar

The Majority Snowdon II Soundbar packs a punch, and currently turns in between £54.95 and £79.95, so look out for some offers, as it offers up a lot of quality with affordability, which is definitely worth checking out.

On first use, you’ll notice the boom of the bass, as this is a 120W speaker with a built-in subwoofer, plus 2.1 Channel Sound. I couldn’t resist kicking off the rest with the new Jurassic Park 4K UHD Anniversary edition, and yes – purely for the first T-Rex moment, and this brings home the power of the scene – and probably the vibrations on my own glass of water.

Good for plugging into your TV unit via the optical cable, or connecting via Bluetooth to any of your devices, you can stream music, watch films, hook it up to your home computer system and let it do its thing. I was easily an immediate fan of the Snowdon II from Majority, simplistic, effective and comes through on its promises. Open up the Blu-ray or 4K collection and get involved, stream away from any of the multiple streaming services and dive right in, live TV? Sport? All good.

For the price, and I mean this in a positive way, it’s almost too good but don’t tell Majority! Get out there, pick one up and enjoy the extra immersive experience you didn’t even know you were craving. Never look back.

Pick up the Majority Snowdon Soundbar now: https://amzn.to/3LHZPac or here: majority.co.uk/snowdon/

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Majority K2 Soundbar with Subwoofer

This is another affordable Soundbar and Subwoofer from Majority that, when combined, brings the big screen experience to your home!

While I loved the Snowdon for music and film, this K2 feels like the best setup for that Home Cinema, as it has a separate 75W Subwoofer you can place somewhere further back in the room. This is remarkably simple to setup: It’s pretty much a plug-in and connect to your TV and you’re on your way. Obviously, it might depend on your system at home, but I used the included optical cable and voilà, it was ready to go and already picked up the sound from the TV. If you need the option, you can setup it up in different ways, as the K2 also includes an RCA and HDMI cable in the box.

Although, I do mention it for films, of course I also took on a music test because as well as the big movies, and I love films scores from the likes of Michael Giacchino or Hans Zimmer, but also the sound levels work very well for all kinds of music. You can connect to the soundbar via Bluetooth (as I did), plus there’s an AUX 3.5mm line-up or if you really fancy it, you can even plug in a USB for your own MP3s, so they’ve covered all angles.

Overall, I was impressed with the Majority K2 and as I can’t afford to pay out hundreds of pounds, this became a vital ‘must-use’ for expanding our Home Cinema experience. I know I’ve said it a few times but in terms of genuine affordability (especially with the bonus wireless subwoofer), this is quite the bargain really. Oh, and to top it off, their site lets us know they’re very aware of their environment impact, and so plant trees in their own ever-growing Forest – click here for more on that.

Compact, great value, and packed full of literal bass (when switching on the Subwoofer) the Majority K2 made an instant impact and a huge improvement to our film, music, and television home setup. Simple to use, and highly recommended for an inspired Home Cinema setup!

Order the Majority K2 and Subwoofer now: https://amzn.to/2PONaIG