Logic3 SoundStage: 5.1 sound, 15 speakers

Not taken with Yamaha's one-piece 5.1 surround-sound system for £1,000? Still want a cinema sound setup? We've been given an exclusive preview of Logic3's SoundStage speaker system, which incorporates a true 5.1 setup within a single metre-wide enclosure for a more than acceptable £250.

More interesting still is that this 150W beast works its magic with a full 15 speakers -- 13 mid- and high-range drivers, plus twin subwoofers.

Like Yamaha's YSP-1100, the technology works by bouncing sound around the walls of your living room, eliminating the need for individual speakers that can be problematic to find room for. The SoundStage sits comfortably below your LCD or plasma TV. The result is a genuinely impressive reproduction of theatre-esque audio arrangements.

Obviously extensive torturing will have to wait until we get it into our labs, but our initial opinion is that it's a very clean and powerful sound, with audio quality well reproduced even at high volumes.

Curiously, there's an FM radio built in too. Why? No idea, but it's... shall we say quaint? Whatever you call it, it's hardly affected the price of the system itself. It'll be on sale soon for the modest price of £249.99 and you can expect a full review in the very near future. -Nate Lanxon