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Soundbar Reviews
Samsung's "Dolby Atmos 11.4.1 in a Box" HW-Q990F Soundbar is Wireless and Immersive
Barb Gonzalez  |  May 12, 2025

Performance
Build Quality
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $2,000

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Superb vocal clarity
Excellent object placement in surround sound
Music is supported in surround sound as instruments play around the room
Direct wireless connectivity
Minus
No on-screen settings or home screen
Difficult to change settings on the scrolling front LED—must use phone app.
Music is acceptable, but highs are occasionally shrill.

THE VERDICT
The home theater experience created by the HW-Q990F system is surprising—a true alternative to an AV receiver and individual speakers. The AI controls create a clear, immersive experience with excellent dialog for movies and clear vocals for music that automatically calibrates to your room. It's an excellent home theater sound choice.

The HW-Q990F is the next-generation Samsung flagship soundbar following the HW-Q990D. Like its predecessor, it comes with a front soundbar, two rear speakers, and a subwoofer. This year's model is smaller than the Q990D, yet it's designed to increase power and efficiency with dual opposing eight-inch woofers that use AI Dynamic Bass Control to optimize the lower frequencies.

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Soundbar Reviews
The Samsung HW-QS700F Soundbar has Room-Filling Sound
Barb Gonzalez  |  May 12, 2025

Performance
Build Quality
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $999 (selling for $699 or less)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Excellent vocal clarity
Room-filling sound with Q-Symphony on Samsung TVs
Wireless connectivity
Minus
No on-screen or on-device settings display
Only confirms setting and input changes verbally
No direct voice assistant capability

THE VERDICT
If you are tired of not hearing TV dialog and are looking for a full, rich home theater experience, yet don’t want rear speakers, the Samsung HW-QS700F is an excellent choice to get an array of cinematic sound from above and in front of you.

While not as complete an experience as the flagship HW-Q990F soundbar and surround sound system, the HW-QS700F is a respectable upgrade to television speakers, giving a virtual surround experience, including upfiring speakers.

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Director's Intent: Kaleidescape 4K
Kaleidescape Unveils Martin Scorsese Filmmaker Spotlight
SV Staff  |  May 10, 2025
Kaleidescape has launched a Filmmaker Spotlight on Martin Scorsese. Rather than a standard “greatest hits” compilation, it pairs Scorsese’s storied filmography with insights into the works, directors, and cinematographers who shaped his craft. Curated in collaboration with his archivist, it offers themed sub-collections like “Grifters & Hustlers,” “Scores & Soundtracks,” and “Cinematographers He Admires,” with commentary from the director.
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Ultra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Threastwood: Dirty Harry, Josey Wales and Pale Rider on 4K
Chris Chiarella  |  May 10, 2025
Pale Rider (1985)
Picture
Sound
Extras

The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
Picture
Sound
Extras

Dirty Harry (1971)
Picture
Sound
Extras

Threastwood: Dirty Harry, Josey Wales and Pale Rider on 4K

By Chris Chiarella

Studio pushes like the one Warner has done for filmmaker Clint Eastwood—long one of their most bankable stars—are a great opportunity to rediscover what made an icon so iconic. These are not the first Eastwoods in 4K, nor are they the first from Warner, but they certainly represent some of his absolute best work on screen.

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Audio Video News
Harman’s $350 Million Play: The Sound United Deal
Mark Henninger  |  May 07, 2025
Harman International, the Samsung-owned powerhouse behind JBL, Harman Kardon, Mark Levinson, Revel, and Arcam, has agreed to buy Masimo’s Sound United division for $350 million in cash. If regulators sign off, the sale should close by the end of 2025—just three years after Masimo stunned the market by paying roughly $1.0 billion for the very same collection of brands. For home-theater enthusiasts, the headline isn’t the price swing; it’s what happens when Denon and Marantz AV receivers, Polk Audio and Definitive Technology speakers, Bowers & Wilkins luxury models, Classé electronics, Boston Acoustics, and the HEOS multi-room platform all move under the same roof as Samsung TVs and Harman’s own audio lineup.
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Subwoofer Reviews
Vera-Fi Audio Vanguard Scout Speakers, Vanguard Caldera 12 Subwoofer
Jim Wilson  |  May 07, 2025

Performance
Features
Build Quality
Value
PRICE: $299/pair (Scout), $399 each (Caldera 12)  ($698 for a 2.1 system)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Scout & Caldera 12: Stylish and distinctive appearance, doesn’t look like a budget product
Scout & Caldera 12: Small enclosure
Scout & Caldera 12: Inexpensive
Caldera 12: XLR input

Minus
Scout: Low efficiency rating
Scout: A bit soft in the upper frequencies
Caldera 12: Small size imparts some limits on output and extension
Caldera 12: Bass Boost feature is centered at 120Hz
Caldera 12: Auto-on functions in an unorthodox manner

THE VERDICT
The midrange from the Vanguard Scout speakers is silky smooth, while the Vanguard Caldera 12 subwoofer can go lower and play louder than its small size would suggest. At a very competitive price of $698 for a 2.1 system, Vera-Fi Audio gives you good sound quality that they bundle in unique and nicely finished cabinets. You can’t ask for more than that.

Ever hear of Vera-Fi Audio before? Neither had I, until this review. And that’s coming from the guy perhaps most associated to budget subwoofer evaluations, a person also known for finding under-the-radar brands. It’s not often a company like Vera-Fi would escape my gaze, but they did.

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A/V Veteran
Life and Death On The Nile
Tom Norton  |  May 06, 2025
There haven't been tons of movies made about ancient Egypt, which is odd, given the fact that ancient Egyptian history spans eras that began at the dawn of written western civilization as we know it (around 3000 BC) and ended when Egypt (as an independent entity) became a Roman province (around 30 BC). The Egypt-centered films we do have tend to be centered in the middle of that epoch, or around 1300–1500 BC. But this is no coincidence; that time period was one of conflict, conquest, and vast royal wealth, making it ideal for lavish historical epics.
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Home Movie Theaters
Tennessee Two-Step
Bob Ankosko  |  May 04, 2025
How a cosmetic upgrade transformed a plain-and-simple entertainment space into a stunning private cinema.
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Headphone Reviews
Focal Hadenys & Azurys Headphones Review: Two Paths, One Foundation
Mark Henninger  |  May 02, 2025

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $749 (Hadenys, open-back); $599 (Azurys, closed-back)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
• Shared aluminum/magnesium “M-shaped” driver keeps voicing consistent
• Comfortable, lightweight build with replaceable cables and pads
• Hadenys delivers a wide, open stage; Azurys isolates well without obvious colorations
• Both offer deeper-than-expected bass extension for single-ended dynamic designs
Minus
• Azurys’ cups can warm up during long sessions
• Asking price edges above most feature-rich wireless competition

THE VERDICT
Focal’s Hadenys (open-back) and Azurys (closed-back) are fraternal twins that make the case for sticking with a proven mechanical recipe and letting enclosure design dictate personality. By removing wireless frills and matching every other component—driver, yoke, pads, cabling—Focal spotlights the audible trade-offs between ventilation and isolation. If you own one, you will immediately “get” the other; if you own both, you’ll rarely worry about choosing the wrong headphone for the occasion.

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Bookshelf Speaker Reviews
Monitor Audio Studio 89 Loudspeaker Review
Daniel Kumin  |  May 02, 2025

Performance
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $2,499

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Outstanding musical accuracy
Surprisingly deep bass & wide‑open dynamics for size
Very handsome piano‑black finish
Minus
Rear ports mean they’re not bookshelf‑friendly
No protective grilles supplied

THE VERDICT
Monitor Audio’s smallest Studio‑series model delivers reference‑grade balance, imaging, and scale far beyond its modest dimensions—so long as you treat it like the serious loudspeaker it is.

I’ve had a soft spot for compact speakers for decades. An expertly engineered stand‑mount can rival or even surpass many floorstanders in stereo imaging and tonal accuracy—everything except the very lowest octave—and they’re easier to live with. What’s not to like?

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