Shadow

Picture
Sound
Extras

Set in third century A.D. China, Shadow tells the story of the uneasy truce held by the Pei and Yang kingdoms. Years earlier, the Pei kingdom lost possession of the city of Jing following a duel between Pei army commander Zi Yu and the formidable warrior Yang Kang. As the kingdom's debauched monarch aims to maintain power by acquiescing to Yang Kang, Zi Yu plots to retake the lost city, an objective carried out with the help of a lookalike his family has been grooming since childhood. Directed by Zhang Yimou (House of Flying Daggers), a filmmaker known for his elegant visuals and bold use of color, Shadow's palette is mostly restricted to black-and-white and skin tones.

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System Building Advice, Part 1

During my many years in the custom installation industry, I've been involved in hundreds of projects of all sizes. These are some of the pearls of accumulated wisdom that I typically share when new customers come in to my shop with plans, or we are walking together through a jobsite.

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Best Value Gear of 2019 (So Far)

Labor Day sales are in full swing but you may not feel the need for a discount when it comes to Sound & Vision’s recent Top Value Picks. From a $700 AV receiver with near-flagship chops to a kick-ass pair of desktop speakers from a revered audio brand, there’s a little something for everyone.

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8K Association Announces Key TV Performance Specs

The 8K Association (8KA), a global industry group focused on facilitating the growth of the 8K ecosystem, today announced key performance attributes for next-generation 8K TVs that are already starting to trickle into the marketplace.

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Peter Frampton Is All About The Blues

We caught up with Peter Frampton on one of his days off from the road to discuss his band’s fine chart-topping new album All Blues, why first or second takes are the best options, why the sun is a recurring theme in his songwriting, and why he feels his Farewell Tour needs to be his final hurrah.

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https://www.soundandvision.com/content/peter-frampton-all-about-blues

Vizio M658-G1 M-Series Quantum LCD Ultra HDTV Review

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value

PRICE $1,000

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG support
Great post-calibration performance
Low price
Minus
Limited HDR brightness
Poor off-center picture uniformity
No useful motion-smoothing options

THE VERDICT
Vizio's $1,000 M-Series Quantum set offers impressive performance in a 65-inch screen size for those unwilling to spend hundreds or even thousands more to bring home a bigscreen Ultra HDTV experience.

Vizio has long been a value leader in the HDTV world. And despite recent challenges from Chinese companies at the low end, and even from established Korean and Japanese manufacturers with pricier but still affordable sets, Vizio appears determined to maintain, or even enhance, its position.

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https://www.soundandvision.com/content/vizio-m658-g1-m-series-quantum-lcd-ultra-hdtv-review

Stewart Filmscreen Unveils ‘Minimalist’ Screen

Stewart Filmscreen has introduced an “easy to assemble” projection screen featuring an ultra-thin black frame that creates a low-profile, “minimalist” look.

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Pioneer Previews New Flagship AV Receiver

Pioneer today offered a preview of a new flagship AV receiver designed to deliver “best-in-class home theater functionality.”

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UHD Alliance Teams with Hollywood to Deliver ‘Filmmaker Mode’ for 4K TVs

The UHD Alliance (UHDA) has teamed with Martin Scorsese and other top Hollywood directors and movie studios to collaborate on a viewing mode for 4K TVs that honors the filmmakers' creative intent by preserving the correct aspect ratios, colors, and frame rates.

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https://www.soundandvision.com/content/uhd-alliance-teams-hollywood-deliver-filmmaker-mode-4k-tvs

LG SL8YG 3.1.2 Atmos Soundbar Review

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value

PRICE $600

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Good sound quality with movies and music
3.1.2 Atmos playback
Chromecast built-in for music streaming
Minus
Wireless surround speakers not included
Center channel lacks some clarity on dynamic scenes

THE VERDICT
LG’s 3.1.2 soundbar offers a solid, relatively affordable option for those seeking a dose of immersion minus the heavy hardware investment.

LG has been in the soundbar game for many years, churning out mainly lower-priced bars designed to mate with the company's TVs. The focus on affordable product has likely been a strategic one for LG—the average consumer reeling from the sticker-shock of an OLED TV purchase isn't likely to shell out another grand for a soundbar system, no matter how good it performs. For 2019, however, LG opted to go high-end, releasing a feature-packed trio of soundbars with commensurate price tags.

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https://www.soundandvision.com/content/lg-sl8yg-312-atmos-soundbar-review

Mixcder Takes 33% Off New Noise-Cancelling ’Phones

Mixcder has launched an upgraded version of its best-selling Mixcder E7 wireless noise-canceling headphones with a 33% “back-to-school” discount.

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SVS Kicks Off Labor Day Outlet Store Blowout

Home speaker specialist SVS today kicked off its annual Labor Day Outlet Store Blowout offering the "lowest prices you’ll find" on SVS speakers and subwoofers.

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Denon Introduces Upscale, Hi-Res-Capable Soundbars

Denon today introduced two upscale soundbars featuring 4K-ready HDMI inputs with ARC (audio return channel), wireless multiroom streaming, and support for high-resolution music playback.

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Is the Taycan the Sound of Things to Come?

The Taycan is Porsche's newest, almost-ready-to-debut car. It's all-electric, so the sound of its exhaust will be unlike that of any other contemporary Porsche. But it's not the exhaust that might be its most interesting sound. It might be its built-in Apple streaming.

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KEF Adds Compact LCR Speaker to Popular Q Series

U.K.-based home audio specialist KEF today announced the addition of a compact home theater speaker to its award-winning Q Series.

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Pangea Unveils 20th Anniversary Record Doctor

Audio accessory specialist Pangea Audio is marking the 20th anniversary of Record Doctor with an updated version of the popular LP cleaning machine that removes dust, dirt, and grime from record grooves.

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Fluance Limited Edition All-White RT81 Turntable and Ai40 Powered Bookshelf Speaker Bundle Sweepstakes

Register to win a Fluance Limited Edition All-White RT81 Turntable and Ai40 Powered Bookshelf Speaker Bundle ($399.99 retail value) we are giving away.

According to the company:

"This bundle from Fluance has everything you need to start your vinyl music journey. Included is a white RT81 turntable complete with a built-in preamp and an Audio-Technica AT95E moving magnet cartridge. Fluance is also throwing in a pair of their Ai40 5” powered bookshelf speakers in all white to match the turntable. These Ai40 speakers will bolster your vinyl music playback with a built-in 70W class D amplifier and premium components producing crisp highs, balanced mids and powerful deep bass with stunning acoustic accuracy."

All you have to do to enter is leave your email address on our survey. Click on the picture above for details on how to enter.

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Fluance Celebrates 20 Years with Limited-Edition Audio Bundle

Internet-based Canadian home-audio company Fluance is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a limited-edition $350 bundle packaging its RT81 Elite turntable with a pair of the Ai40 powered bookshelf speakers that made Sound & Vision’s Top Pick list earlier this year — both in white.

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The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus - Limited Deluxe Edition

Performance
Sound

The rock and roll circus was coming to town. In 1968, Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, The Who's guitar wizard Pete Townshend, and Small Faces bassist Ronnie Lane had collectively decided to organize a perpetual traveling show that would consist of equal parts live performance, grand spectacle, and mobile art installation, all rolled into one never-ending carnival bacchanal.

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SiriusXM Adds $4/Mo Streaming Package for Students

SiriusXM has announced a $4/month subscription package for college students.

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MartinLogan to Expand Popular Motion Speaker Series

MartinLogan has announced plans to expand its popular Motion Series with seven new models.

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Denon Unveils $400 Integrated Amp, $300 CD Player

Denon today announced two audio components sure to appeal to music enthusiasts who are on a budget or looking to put together their first hi-fi system.

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IMDb TV Adds New Movie and TV Titles to Watch for Free

In the search for alternatives to cable and satellite, there are a number of streaming solutions. Most require subscribing to live TV packages along with Netflix and other TV and movie apps, which can cost as much or more than a monthly cable bill.  There are free alternatives. IMDb TV is one of the newest ad-supported, on-demand movie and TV apps

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In Search of the Perfect Audio Demo

In May I had an opportunity to attend High End in Munich, Germany, an event considered by many to be the world’s leading hi-fi show. It was the second consecutive Munich show I had attended, and this one was even more bustling with activity than the last. While the show does provide trade-only days, it’s primarily a consumer-focused event — audiophiles from all over Europe flock in to look at and listen to the latest gear, much of it on active display in rooms that pump out nonstop music.

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Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Review

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value

PRICE $2,500

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Convincing immersive sound
Powerful bass
Chromecast built-in for music streaming
Minus
Heavy and large
Expensive

THE VERDICT
Sennheiser's first foray into home theater was worth the wait. The Ambeo soundbar, with Ambeo 3D processing, is currently the best soundbar on the market.

The compactness and convenience that soundbars offer has always been appealing, but their actual sound has too often been a letdown. Many have failed to create an authentic sense of surround and most also require an external subwoofer to provide substantial bass. Sennheiser's new Ambeo soundbar looks to buck that trend by delivering an immersive 5.1.4 surround experience while confidently eschewing a separate subwoofer. On paper, it looks to be the first soundbar designed to truly replace a standard home-theater surround setup. But does it deliver the goods?

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https://www.soundandvision.com/content/sennheiser-ambeo-soundbar-review

Emotiva’s 16-Channel XMC-2 AV Pre-Pro Has Arrived

Emotiva Audio today announced that the 16-channel XMC-2 AV preamp/processor it previewed in January at CES 2019 is now shipping.

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https://www.soundandvision.com/content/emotiva-s-16-channel-xmc-2-av-preampprocessor-has-arrived

JBL, NAD First to Get Dirac Live Bass Management

Dirac Research, the Swedish technology company best known among S&ampV readers for its Dirac Live speaker setup/room-correction system, today announced that the Dirac Live Bass Management module it announced last December will debut in gear from JBL, NAD, Arcam, and Storm Audio.

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https://www.soundandvision.com/content/jbl-nad-first-get-dirac-live-bass-management

THX Remakes Iconic ‘Deep Note’ Trailer

THX is commemorating its 35th anniversary with a remake of the iconic “Deep Note” trailer that has wowed movie-watchers since it debuted with the premiere of Star Wars: Episode VI-Return of the Jedi way back in 1983.

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https://www.soundandvision.com/content/thx-remakes-iconic-deep-note-trailer

TV Tech 2: Mind Your PQ

In my last blog (July 30) I covered gamma and its importance for playback of standard dynamic range (SDR) video. But high dynamic range (HDR) is a new and very different animal.

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https://www.soundandvision.com/content/tv-tech-2-mind-your-pq

JBL One Series 104 Powered Reference Monitors

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value

PRICE $129

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Clean, dynamic sound
Compact form factor
Great value
Minus
Limited connection options

THE VERDICT
JBL's desktop monitors deliver crisp, distinctive sound in a compact and affordable package.

When shopping for desktop speakers, the line between consumer and pro gear can sometimes get blurred. That's because the differences between compact powered bookshelf speakers (consumer) and desktop monitors (pro) ultimately aren't that dramatic. Generally, it comes down to features: consumer gear is more likely to provide things like Bluetooth and phono inputs and a subwoofer output, while pro gear eschews such frills. Another key difference can be the sound: while consumer speakers are voiced to simply sound good, pro versions are designed for "accuracy." But does accurate necessarily equate to good? Let's listen to the JBL One Series 104 Powered Reference Monitor ($129) and find out.

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https://www.soundandvision.com/content/jbl-one-series-104-powered-reference-monitors

Pro Audio Tech Unveils ‘Invisible Mount’ Speakers

Pro Audio Technology, the Lake Forest, CA-based speaker specialist that blurs the line between pro and consumer audio, is expanding its recently introduced SR series with three “invisible-mount” in-wall speakers.

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Enclave Audio: New Wireless 5.1 Systems On the Way

Enclave Audio has announced plans to deliver in time for the 2019 holiday season two new versions of the Top Pick-designated CineHome HD wireless 5.1-channel home theater speaker system we reviewed last year.

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Vizio Kicks Off Deals for Football Season

Vizio has announced deals on 4K TVs and soundbars in anticipation of the NFL 2019-2020 season that gets underway on September 5 with a matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears.

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ZVOX AV50: Noise-Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones with AccuVoice

Most headphones strive for a clean sound without any coloration or alteration of the source. The new AV50 noise-cancelling headphones from ZVOX feature AccuVoice technology that intentionally brightens up vocals and dialogue, adding clarity to movies and TV shows, while also reducing ambient noise. Headphones for an older or mildly hearing-impaired crowd? Why not?

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https://www.soundandvision.com/content/zvox-av50-noise-cancelling-bluetooth-headphones-accuvoice

Legrand Unveils In-Wall Subs with Matching Amps

Legrand has introduced a line of compact in-ceiling and in-wall subwoofers with matching digital amplifiers built to deliver “powerful, low-frequency impact” in home theater and audio setups.

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Avengers: Endgame

Picture
Sound
Extras

There is simply no precedent for a cinematic event of this magnitude. Avengers: Endgame is not merely the latest installment in the Marvel canon, but one that builds upon all that has come before to complete story arcs begun as far back as 2008's crucial Iron Man. It also concludes the most recent dramatic "phase" in the 22-film series, and of course drops the other shoe from the 2018 Avengers set-up, Infinity War. And it does all of this with a deft touch, despite its plethora of fantasy characters and an absurdly brisk three-hour running time.

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McIntosh Tube Preamp Boasts Powerful Digital Chops

McIntosh has introduced a classic tube preamp with a secret weapon you wouldn’t expect to find: an upgradeable digital audio module built around a 32-bit digital-to-analog converter (DAC).

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TCL Adds Quantum Dots, Mini-LEDs, Atmos to New TVs

TCL is expanding its selection of step-up 4K Ultra HD TVs and adopting new performance-enhancing technologies to capture a larger share of big-screen TVs sales in North America.

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https://www.soundandvision.com/content/tcl-adds-quantum-dots-mini-leds-atmos-new-tvs

Best TVs and Projectors of 2019 (So Far)

For the latest installment of our continuing Best Gear series, we’ve compiled a list of Top Pick-worthy TVs and projectors we reviewed so far this year. Featured are three 4K Ultra HD TVs — a Samsung LCD model plus OLED sets from Sony and LG — and projectors from Epson, Sony, and JVC. The Epson comes in at three grand but JVC and Sony take it to the limit with cutting-edge light canons that will please even the most video-obsessed enthusiast.

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https://www.soundandvision.com/content/best-tvs-and-projectors-2019-so-far

Woodstock at 50: Back to the Garden

Fifty years ago today, the Woodstock Music & Art Fair commenced at Max Yasgur’s Farm in Bethel, New York, at exactly 5:07 p.m. — the very moment rhythmic folk ’n’ soul singer/songwriter Richie Havens took to the stage. It’s quite the understatement to say that the world culture has never been quite the same ever since the very second Havens strummed the chords of “From the Prison” on his Guild D40 acoustic guitar, and the first sounds of Woodstock rang out into eternity.

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https://www.soundandvision.com/content/woodstock-50-back-garden

EISA 2019-2020 Home Theater Video & Audio Products of the Year

EISA, or the Expert Imaging and Sound Association, is an organization representing 60 special interest magazines from 29 countries that cover Hi-Fi, Home Theater Video, Home Theater Audio, Photography, Mobile Devices, and In-Car Electronics. Each year, EISA expert group members, including editors from Sound & Vision and its sister publications Stereophile and Shutterbug, gather in Antwerp, Belgium to receive previews of the latest products, an extended process that culminates in a vote on which products are worthy of the prestigious EISA award.

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https://www.soundandvision.com/content/eisa-2019-2020-home-theater-video-audio-products-year

Can I Use All Ceiling Speakers In an Atmos Setup?

Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q Is it possible to install a Dolby Atmos 5.1.2 or 5.1.4 configuration using only in-ceiling speakers with directional tweeters? —Felix Diezel, via email

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Rare Find: Altec Lansing 604-8G Coaxial Speakers

It’s not every day you come across speakers built around monstrous 15-inch coaxial drivers but New Jersey-based vintage audio specialist Skyfi Audio recently landed a pair of pristine Altec Lansing 604-18 speakers.

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https://www.soundandvision.com/content/rare-find-altec-lansing-604-8g-coaxial-speakers

Sony Bravia XBR-65A9G OLED Ultra HDTV Review

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value

PRICE $3,800

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Unsurpassed contrast
Superb color and resolution
Viewable from any angle
Minus
Complicated picture adjustments
Pricey

THE VERDICT
Sony's new XBR-65A9G OLED TV is undoubtedly pricey, but we'd be hard-pressed to name a flat-panel Ultra HD TV that provides better overall performance.

Sony's XBR-A9G, the latest OLED entry in the company's Master Series TV lineup, follows fast on the heels of its previous A9F. While the differences from that model are minor, the A9G's list of upgrades include a different (and arguably improved) stand, a better remote control, and a few performance tweaks. The A9G lineup also includes a 77-inch model, but the 65-inch XBR-65A9G is the featured attraction here.

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https://www.soundandvision.com/content/sony-bravia-xbr-65a9g-oled-ultra-hdtv-review

HDtracks Woodstock ‘Super Sale’: Historic Live Performances in Hi-Res

HDtracks, one of the largest digital stores specializing in high-resolution music, is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Woodstock with a “Hi-Res Super Sale” offering discounts on historic live recordings from the iconic 1969 festival.

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