When I test TVs, soundbars and projectors, my go-to source is 4K Blu-ray. That’s because, while 4K streaming can deliver good picture and audio quality, 4K Blu-ray has even better quality due to its higher bitrate (128Mbps to streaming’s 20Mbps average) and uncompressed soundtracks.
During my time at TechRadar testing the best TVs, I’ve had staple 4K discs that I always use as a reference. I wrote earlier this year about 4 awesome discs I’d recommend for evaluating your TV’s picture, and while I’d still recommend these (and I do still use some of them), it’s good to freshen things up every once in a while.
In November 2024, we started a monthly column called the Blu-ray Bounty, where we review the latest 4K discs from that month (based on UK release dates) and how they can be used to test your home theater. In that time, I’ve discovered some new discs that are perfect for different areas of testing, such as Wicked.
One year is a long time, and I’ve tested a bunch more discs since, with some of them joining my testing rotation for not only TVs, but also the best soundbars and the best projectors. Here are five of my top picks.
1. The Sound of Music
An iconic musical starring Julie Andrews, The Sound of Music looks and sounds staggeringly good on 4K Blu-ray. I first tested this disc in the October 2025 Blu-ray Bounty, and found it’s a fantastic disc for audio testing thanks to its Dolby Atmos soundtrack, with classic musical numbers such as My Favorite Things and Do-Re-Me demonstrating Andrews’ crystal clear vocals.
But it’s not just audio where this 4K Blu-ray shines. Detail gets a serious upgrade through the 4K restoration, with textures looking crisper than ever. Colors are also vibrant and exquisitely punchy: In one scene in the market where Maria and the children stand by a fruit stall, the yellows and reds of the fruit seem to explode on screen. The Sound of Music is now one of my go-to discs for testing a TV’s color reproduction.
2. Edward Scissorhands
One of Johnny Depp and Tim Burton’s many collaborations, Edward Scissorhands arrived on 4K Blu-ray for the first time in 2025, and I tested it for the November 2025 Blu-ray Bounty. While the movie has some very dark scenes with a Gothic ambience, the colors are where this 4K disc stands out.
The suburban neighborhood where the family that takes Edward in lives is a smorgasbord of vibrant, even garish, colors. Houses are yellow, orange, green, pink – all of them sickeningly bright, just as Burton intended. This 4K restoration is perfect for showing how a display can handle an extreme color palette. Watched on some of the best OLED TVs I’ve tested this year, such as the LG C5, the colors on this disc looked astounding. Elsewhere, blacks are rich and contrast is strong in night scenes, and there’s a refined level of detail.
3. The Mask
One of the movies that shot Jim Carrey to superstardom in the mid-’90s, The Mask is a whirlwind comedy that not only looks great, but sounds great on 4K Blu-ray. I first reviewed it for the November 2025 Blu-ray Bounty and it was one of the standout discs of that month.
As you’d expect given the cartoonish nature of the titular character, this is yet another movie with excellent color. The Mask’s gaudy yellow suit and green mask look striking throughout the movie without being overbearing. Scenes at night also strike a great balance between the dark backgrounds and The Mask’s lurid costume.
The Mask’s cartoonish antics often produce chaotic sound effects such as a tornado or ticking bomb, and with the right system, this can sound incredible. It’s a great disc for demonstrating Atmos, as I found playing it through our Samsung HW-Q990C soundbar, which accurately mapped the sound around the room.
4. Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World
Peter Weir’s naval epic starring Russell Crowe arrived on 4K Blu-ray for the first time this year, and I tested it for the September 2025 Blu-ray Bounty. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World is a visual and auditory feast, and a fantastic disc for showing off home theater systems.
The disc’s standout Dolby Atmos soundtrack precisely renders the movie’s naval battles, lending authenticity to sounds such as a cannonball ripping through the ship’s hull. The many explosions have powerful bass, and even in the quieter moments, sounds like creaking floorboards above-deck have a real sense of height. It’s a truly immersive experience, and a perfect demonstration of Atmos’ capabilities.
Master and Commander is a great-looking movie as well. There are plenty of high-contrast shots at night, such as the dark surroundings of the ship’s hull balanced against solitary lamps. Textures are refined, and colors, though used sparsely, appear bold.
5. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
A cult musical starring Tim Curry and Susan Sarandon, The Rocky Horror Picture Show debuted on 4K Blu-ray for the first time in 2025. I covered it in the October 2025 Blu-ray Bounty, and it’s another movie that’s benefited from the 4K treatment.
Of course, the newly remastered Dolby Atmos soundtrack is where Rocky Horror shines. Instruments sound punchy, bass is weighty and vocals are clear and precise. In tracks like Sweet Transvestite, you can hear every raspy breath Frank-N-Furter delivers, even amidst the loud glam-rock background. During tracks like Time Warp, you can even hear the subtle movement of dancers as their shoes scrape along the floor.
Rocky Horror gets a serious visual upgrade on this disc. Colors are vibrant, with the red of Furter’s lipstick and the velvet sheet in the lab delivered with real pop. Dazzling outfits of characters like Colombia are bright and rich, and textures are crisp. As for film grain, cinephiles need not worry: although the original film elements have been cleaned up, there’s still enough grain to give it an authentic feel. If I’m looking for a disc for evaluating either color or audio, Rocky Horror is right up there.
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james.davidson@futurenet.com (James Davidson)
