The Acer Aspire iDea 510 makes a set-top box out of a computer, without losing many of the perks of a PC. It's reasonably easy to set up and it worked with a number of test displays. It performed well enough in our performance tests for a media centre, and it did it quietly, too.

Whatever music you want to listen to, the Transporter is able to take it from your computer to your stereo without any perceivable quality loss. The interface is seamless and direct connection to the online SqueezeNetwork means you don’t even need a computer. If you can handle the high price, you’ll get the quality you paid for.

While the lack of HDMI and a tower case design are sore points, the m8090a is nonetheless a solid media centre PC. It offers more than enough power to perform most tasks and even packs in some grunt for playing games.

As a receiver and speaker system, the LX70 performs fantastically. Setup is complicated, but it does excel in surround sound and digital decoding.

While a quality player, it doesn't quite stack up to its competitors in the same price range.

Rich sound and an inventive design ensure the MT30 is a winner.

The Marantz SA11-S1 really is the complete package: stunning sound quality, gorgeous looks and dreadnought build quality

Whilst the sound quality might be above average with no real component or HDMI connections and a price tag that rivals the economy of New Zealand we cannot in good faith recommend this unit. There are better sounding, more fully featured packages for one third of the price.

B&W’s VM6 speakers are surprisingly capable speakers for music and movies, but their thin size impacts upon their performance.

Within their target market, Fujitsu definitely have a winner on their hands. For people still running a single CRT television, without a full lounge room setup, the Deskpower is the perfect way to take the plunge.

If you're after the latest in pre-assembled media centres then The CTS1000 is probably right up your alley. Be prepared to pay a premium for the extra features though.