Thursday, June 27, 2019

Get Back to 8-Track (or Not)

New Jersey-based vintage audio specialist Skyfi Audio has something special for AV collectors: a vintage Akai 8-track player/recorder.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/get-back-8-track-or-not

Dirac Launches Dirac Live Processing for Cars

Dirac Research, the Swedish technology company best known among S&ampV readers for its Dirac Live speaker setup/room-correction system, is bringing that technology to cars through a partnership with China’s miniDSP.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/dirac-launches-dirac-live-processing-cars

Technology: Friend or Foe?

A persistent theme I’ve observed in recent articles from several long-time Sound & Vision contributors is a sense of unease over the encroachment of AI (Artificial Intelligence) into the traditional consumer electronics space.


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https://www.soundandvision.com/content/technology-friend-or-foe

HBO to Release Complete GoT Collection on Blu-ray

HBO has announced plans to release a limited-edition DVD/Blu-ray boxed set encompassing all eight seasons of the Game of Thrones just in time for Christmas and singled out Season 8 for release on 4K/Ultra HD Blu-ray.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/hbo-release-complete-got-collection-blu-ray

Wednesday, June 26, 2019

LG OLED65E9PUA OLED Ultra HDTV Review


Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $4,299

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Powerful contrast with inky blacks
Wide viewing angle
HDR format support includes Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG
Minus
Pricey
So-so built-in audio
No HDR10+ support

THE VERDICT
LG's stunning E9 continues OLED's long streak in providing the highest-performance Ultra HDTV display option available.

Set makers may argue otherwise, but improvements to the two dominant TV technologies—OLED and LCD—come gradually. Each year, the new sets that get rolled out incorporate wrinkles that will result (it's hoped!) in a better picture and more advanced features. Following that pattern, LG for 2019 continues to build on its already impressive OLED TV credentials with the OLED65E9PUA.



from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/lg-oled65e9pua-oled-ultra-hdtv-review

Sony’s Adds Alexa Voice Control to its Android TVs

Who says Amazon and Google don’t play nice together? Sony today announced that its Android-powered TVs are the first to offer Alexa voice control and expanded capabilities through a new Amazon app.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/sony-s-adds-alexa-voice-control-its-android-tvs

BDI Makes Your Gear Disappear

For every enthusiast who wants to shine a bright light on his stack of gear there’s another who would rather hide it away, maybe in a nice piece of furniture.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/bdi-makes-your-gear-disappear

Dream Theater’s John Petrucci: Master of Time Signatures & Sonic Space

Dream Theater guitarist/producer John Petrucci got on the line with us to discuss why the music on their fine new album Distance Over Time is so well-suited for surround sound, how new ideas spring from having a band work together in the same room, and why physical packaging remains critical to their success.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/dream-theater-s-john-petrucci-master-time-signatures-sonic-space

Samsung Brings QLED Tech to Design-Focused Serif TV

Samsung has upgraded the picture quality of its design-focused Serif TV with the addition of QLED quantum-dot backlighting technology.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/samsung-brings-qled-tech-design-focused-serif-tv

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

EPV Screens Unveils New Logo

EPV Screens has unveiled a new logo, the first change in its branding since the company was launched as a division of Elite Screens in 2012.


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https://www.soundandvision.com/content/epv-screens-unveils-new-logo

Yamaha Expands Home Theater in a Box Lineup

The once-popular home theater in a box (HTiB) category faded but never completely went away. In April, Pioneer revived the category in its line and now Yamaha is expanding its HTiB offerings with two new 5.1-channel bundles that gives you everything you need except a Blu-ray player (assuming you even want one) .


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https://www.soundandvision.com/content/yamaha-expands-home-theater-box-lineup

Another Disc Bites the Dust

All good things must come to an end. Once the coolest thing ever, once the “must have” feature of 1989, once the proof that you too were hip, car CD players are now driving down a particularly lonely highway. Much like 8-tracks and car cassette players before them, car CD players are heading for oblivion.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/another-disc-bites-dust

Zvox Brings AccuVoice Tech to $150 Wireless Noise-Canceling Headphones

Zvox Audio, the Boston-based soundbar pioneer and champion of audio products for the hearing impaired, has introduced $150 wireless noise-canceling headphones that also incorporate the voice-boosting AccuVoice technology developed for its line of TV speakers.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/zvox-brings-accuvoice-tech-150-wireless-noise-canceling-headphones

Monday, June 24, 2019

Costco Kicks Off July 4th TV Deals

Anxious to get a jump on July 4th, Costco has knocked $200 off the price of two TVs in Vizio’s M7 Quantum Series.


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https://www.soundandvision.com/content/costco-kicks-july-4th-tv-deals

Austere: New Brand to Offer Affordable Accessories

You probably haven’t heard of Deena Ghazarian but behind-the-scenes she played an integral role in building brands you probably have heard of: Monster Products and Beats by Dre. Ghazarian is now applying 25 years of experience building consumer-technology and fashion brands to her new technology accessories company, Austere.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/austere-new-brand-offer-affordable-accessories

JVC’s Flagship 4K Laser Projector to Get Major Firmware Upgrade

JVC will release a firmware upgrade on Thursday that adds significant capabilities to its flagship DLA-RS4500K D-ILA laser-lit projector, one of Sound&Vision’s 2017 Top Picks.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/jvc-s-flagship-4k-laser-projector-get-major-firmware-upgrade

Friday, June 21, 2019

Us

Picture
Sound
Extras
With Get Out, his first film as writer/director, Jordan Peele introduced us to a refined new form of horror. He was the only filmmaker who could do justice to his Oscar-bound script, finding just the right tone and wringing that last bit of mood from every line, every shot, every performance. Now, with Us, he has raised the stakes, telling a deeper story on a much grander scale.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/us

CanJam 2019 Preview: Headphones and Related Gear

Companies have started releasing details of products they plan to introduce at the headphone-focused CanJam SoCal 2019 show that opens tomorrow in Irvine, CA.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/canjam-2019-preview-headphones-and-related-gear

Thursday, June 20, 2019

Hands On: Apple TV App Update Gets it Right

Days before the announcements at the Apple developer’s conference this month, the Apple TV app received an update that drastically changed its menus, features and content. With it, Apple has created the best streaming video experience available


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/hands-apple-tv-app-update-gets-it-right

Marantz Promises Audiophile Sound From New AVRs

Marantz today unveiled two AV receivers “tuned to deliver audiophile-quality sound” in 7.2- and 9.2-channel configurations with support for hi-res audio and multiroom wireless streaming with voice control via the Heos platform created by sister brand Denon.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/marantz-promises-audiophile-sound-new-avrs

Getting Wired for Surround Sound

In my last blog, “Home Theater Planning: Walk Back the Design,” I discussed the process I use to help clients decide on a new surround-sound system installation. Basically, I encourage them to work back from how they want the project to look when it’s finished instead of focusing up front on other criteria like performance.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/getting-wired-surround-sound

Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Samsung QN65Q80R LCD Ultra HDTV Review


Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $2,800

AT A GLANCE
Plus
rightness to spare
Good off-center viewing
Superb HDR
Minus
Blooming
No Dolby Vision
Small, non-backlit remote

THE VERDICT
Samsung's new QN65Q80R may not be the company's flagship TV, but it offers an ample helping of that model's features, design, and performance.

It wasn't long ago that a buying a premium UHDTV demanded your first-born in exchange, or at least a sizeable portion of his or her college tuition. At $2,800 (and widely available for less), Samsung's new QN65Q80R "QLED" TV isn't exactly the lowest-priced entry in the growing category of affordable UHDTVs, but it's certainly a welcome one. Samsung also sells 55-, 75-, and 82-inch versions of the Q80R, the latter priced under $5,000.



from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/samsung-qn65q80r-lcd-ultra-hdtv-review

Sony: What Movies Do You Want to See on 4K Blu-ray

Listen up movie fans: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment wants to know which movies you would like to see on 4K/Ultra HD Blu-ray.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/sony-what-movies-do-you-want-see-4k-blu-ray

Best Wireless Speakers of the Year (So Far)

We’ve reviewed more than a dozen speakers since the beginning of the year and, while all categories are popular with S&V readers — especially home theater systems and subwoofers — speakers designed to dispense with speaker cables and receive audio signals through the air are among the most highly coveted. Here are four Top Picks, including one that was singled out for Top Value accolades.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/best-wireless-speakers-year-so-far

Tuesday, June 18, 2019

Quantum Dots and Micro LEDs

The Society for Information Display, or SID, is a trade organization concerned, as the name implies, with display technology. And there's far more to display technology than just televisions, as important as that segment is to us. Every year SID holds a conference covering topics as diverse as the foldable display and as compelling as papers such as Implementation of Full Panel IR‐Drop Simulation for AMOLED Display Using Current SPICE Toolkit. Seriously, the latter is typical of tech papers at all science-heavy conventions, as I learned years ago while occasionally attending the annual Audio Engineering Society (AES) event. I have no idea if full panel IR‐drop simulation for AMOLED displays is a critical development that will lead to future technological breakthroughs, but it might.

We don't usually attend the SID event, nor did we this year. Little of the arcana presented there will be of direct interest to our readers. But one topic covered at SID 2019 is worth noting. As summarized by a recent article in Insight Media, a trade publication, researchers are currently investigating the use of quantum dots for self-emissive displays. Self-emissive displays are currently a hot subject in video R&D. Another self-emissive development, demonstrated by Samsung and others in recent trade shows, uses super small LEDs, or as they're commonly known, Micro-LEDs. In such a display, the micro-LEDs themselves are the actual pixels...



from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/quantum-dots-and-micro-leds

Denon Unveils Hi-Res Streaming Receiver with HDMI Video Section

Denon today introduced a hi-res-ready stereo receiver with onboard wireless music streaming, a phono input, and something you won’t find in most two-channel components — a full-featured HDMI video section.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/denon-unveils-hi-res-streaming-receiver-hdmi-video-section

KLH Ultimate One Headphones Now Shipping

KLH, the iconic audio brand that was revived in early 2018, has announced the availability of the Ultimate One headphones it previewed at CES in January.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/klh-ultimate-one-headphones-now-shipping

Yamaha Announces Alexa-Enabled Soundbars

Yamaha yesterday offered a sneak peek at two slim, Alexa-enabled soundbars slated to ship in July.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/yamaha-announces-alexa-enabled-soundbars

Monday, June 17, 2019

Klipsch Announces Special Edition Heresy III

Klipsch is paying tribute to its classic Heresy III speaker with a special-edition version featuring a matte-black finish and titanium-finish satin grille cloth.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/klipsch-announces-special-edition-heresy-iii

Cambridge Audio’s Wireless Earbuds Boast 4X ‘Extended Play’

Cambridge Audio is aiming to set a “new standard for British-designed Bluetooth headphones” with its first wireless earbuds.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/cambridge-audio-s-wireless-earbuds-boast-4x-extended-play

25 Years Ago Today: DirecTV Is Born

Lemoyne Martin was unhappy. He’d just bought a Sony big screen TV, but now found the quality of his local cable TV service severely lacking.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/25-years-ago-today-directv-born

Taking Off with the Sony WH-1000XM3 Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones

While researching noise-cancelling headphones, I kept reading comparison after comparison to the Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones. Needless to say, I had to try out the Sony headphones on a trip and see for myself. Were they as good as other reviewers made them out to be? Will they become my new favorites? Here’s a hint: the hype is real.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/taking-sony-wh-1000xm3-wireless-noise-cancelling-headphones

Friday, June 14, 2019

Black Hawk Down

Picture
Sound
Extras
Black Hawk Down concerns an ill-fated U.S. Army Ranger and Delta Force mission on the streets of Mogadishu, Somalia in 1993. The story can be difficult to follow at times with its large cast of characters, but it's still effectively told. Made in collaboration with über-producer Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Ridley Scott, Black Hawk Down definitely does not want for production values and is a well-crafted, straight-ahead drama.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/black-hawk-down

AcousticSheep Launches Kickstarter Campaign for New SleepPhones

AcousticSheep of Erie, PA has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund a new version of its popular SleepPhones — flat speakers embedded in a soft headband you can wear to bed to help overcome insomnia.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/acousticsheep-launches-kickstarter-campaign-new-sleepphones

10th Anniversary: TV Goes Digital

Ten years ago this week analog TV broadcasting in the U.S. went dark and the transition to the all-digital television system we enjoy today was completed.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/10th-anniversary-tv-goes-digital

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Sony A9G OLED Crowned ‘King of TV’ at 2019 Shootout

Sony’s flagship XBR-65A9G 4K/Ultra HD OLED TV was crowned the “King of TV” by a panel of video experts at the 15th Annual TV Shootout hosted by Scarsdale, NY-based AV retailer Value Electronics.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/sony-a9g-oled-crowned-king-tv-2019-shootout

8K: It’s About Hyper-Realism, Not Just More Pixels

8K TVs will reproduce “hyper-realistic” images that you can readily appreciate from typical viewing distances in your living room, challenging the myth that an 8K image’s 33.2 million pixels are too densely packed for the human eye to resolve, attendees learned at Tuesday’s 8K Display Summit.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/8k-it-s-about-hyper-realism-not-just-more-pixels

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Yamaha MusicCast BAR 400 Soundbar and MusicCast 50 Wireless Speaker Review


Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $499 (BAR 400), $499 (MusicCast 50)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
MusicCast 50 can be used for wireless surround
DTS Virtual:X simulated surround processing
Simple setup with multi-room capability
Minus
Unnecessarily complicated user controls
No Chromecast built-in

THE VERDICT
A powerful system with expansive sound and deep bass that's further enhanced by the addition of Yamaha's MusicCast 50 as a wireless surround speaker.

At just under $500, Yamaha's MusicCast BAR 400 soundbar/subwoofer system is a great value. When you add the company's MusicCast 50 wireless speaker ($499) to use for surrounds, you get a stellar wireless 5.1 system that creates an immersive experience while easily integrating with your streaming music apps. The system connects via Wi-Fi, AirPlay, Spotify Connect, and Bluetooth.



from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/yamaha-musiccast-bar-400-soundbar-and-musiccast-50-wireless-speaker-review

Stewart Filmscreen Revamps a Classic

Stewart Filmscreen today announced that it has re-engineered a classic projection screen it introduced more than 30 years ago — the Luxus Classic Model A.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/stewart-filmscreen-revamps-classic

Michael McDonald: Takin’ it to the Seats on a Co-Headlining Summer Tour With Chaka Khan

Keyboardist/vocalist Michael McDonald called us to discuss his upcoming summer tour with Chaka Khan, the true secret to his well-respected background-vocal prowess, the compositionally related reason why he was genuinely surprised at the chart-topping success of The Doobie Brothers classic “What a Fool Believes,” and what his real-time reaction was when he watched Rick Moranis pay, er, homage to him on a vintage episode of SCTV.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/michael-mcdonald-takin-it-seats-co-headlining-summer-tour-chaka-khan

SVS Introduces Prime Wireless 2.1 Speaker System

SVS today introduced a 2.1-channel music system built around its award winning Prime Wireless speakers, one of Sound & Vision’s 2018 Top Picks of the Year in the wireless speaker category.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/svs-introduces-prime-wireless-21-speaker-system

Your Phone Might Help Save Your Kid's Hearing

As everyone knows, an ear infection is nothing to joke about. And as every parent knows, the plight of a toddler with an ear infection can be downright scary and diagnosing it isn't easy. There may soon be an app for that.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/your-phone-might-help-save-your-kids-hearing

Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Lineup for 15th Annual TV Shootout Announced

Scarsdale, NY-based AV retailer Value Electronics has announced the lineup for the 15th annual installment of its respected TV Shootout, which will pit four models from three top TV brands against one another.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/lineup-15th-annual-tv-shootout-announced

New Samsung Monitor Supports Immersive, Fast-Action Gameplay

Samsung is expanding its line of curved gaming monitors with a 27-inch model featuring a 240-Hz refresh rate and compatibility with Nvidia’s G-Sync technology.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/new-samsung-monitor-supports-immersive-fast-action-gameplay

Your Phone Might Help Save Your Kid's Hearing

CEDIA today released the list of finalists for the 2019 CEDIA Home Technology Professional Awards competition, which recognizes the best custom-installation projects completed by member companies over the past year.


from
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/your-phone-might-help-save-your-kids-hearing