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Audio Video News
Home Entertainment’s Unexpected Evolution
Bob Ankosko  |  Jul 09, 2020  |  0 comments
Staying at home for three-plus months gave us lots of time take stock of our lives. To rethink family relationships, rekindle dormant hobbies, reconnect with old friends, and reflect on everything — including what entertainment at home looks like. TiVo’s annual Video Trends Report sheds some light on that question.
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Audio Video News
New AV Gear Worth Checking Out
Bob Ankosko  |  Jul 02, 2020  |  0 comments
No question, new product introductions dropped off from what we usually see during springtime but they didn’t grind to a halt. Dozens of products were announced during the historic COVID-19 lockdown that transformed the life of every American for more than three months and continues to threaten our return to normalcy. As we prepare to celebrate the founding of this great country, we pause to take look at some of the gear AV companies have rolled out in recent weeks, including a few you may have missed. Here’s to hoping that the current wave of flare-ups is short-lived.
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Audio Video News
Best Gear of June 2020
Bob Ankosko  |  Jun 25, 2020  |  0 comments
June ushered in the relaxing vibes of summer, hope for a future free of COVID-19, and several more Sound & Vision Top Picks for your consideration. From a unique “soundbar” for turntable-based music systems to wireless earbuds worthy of your attention to an outstanding five-piece home-theater speaker system and a subwoofer built for inveterate tweakers, there’s a little something for everyone. Here’s to reconnecting with friends and family (in person!) and revisiting vacation plans as we get on with our lives.
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Audio Video News
Naim Adds Qobuz to Mu-so Gen 2 Wireless Speakers
Al Griffin  |  Jun 19, 2020  |  0 comments
British hi-fi firm Naim has added native support for Qobuz high-res music streaming to its 2nd generation Mu-so family wireless music systems, the Mu-so 2 and Mu-so Qb, both Sound & Vision 2019 Top Picks. The service is available now via an over-the-air firmware upgrade that users can download for free.
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Audio Video News
S&V Poll: 4 in 10 Plan to Buy an 8K TV
Bob Ankosko  |  Jun 19, 2020  |  2 comments
In 8K: The Next Big Thing in Home Entertainment, Chris Chinnock, executive director of the 8K Association (8KA), makes the case for 8K even though programming is scarce and will likely remain so for some time. We asked readers to weigh in and have the results.
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Audio Video News
16 Best Speakers to Buy Right Now
Bob Ankosko  |  Jun 18, 2020  |  0 comments
Speakers are the single most important link in the audio chain — one that defines the sonic character of your system, whether it’s a straight up stereo rig or a surround-sound movie setup. Great speakers put you in the front row of an intimate musical performance or draw you into a scene in an emotional (and sometimes harrowing) way. Here we spotlight 16 of Sound & Vision’s Top Picks, running the gamut from inexpensive wireless speakers to a selection of home theater systems featuring a suite of wireless speakers at one end and a stately six-piece setup at the other. The mix also highlights a couple stand-out subwoofers and soundbars as well as a handful of all-in-one wireless speakers, including one you can take outside.
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Audio Video News
Father’s Day: A/V Deals to Die For
Al Griffin  |  Jun 12, 2020  |  2 comments
Let’s hear it for dad! When I was a kid, mine smoked in the car while driving my brothers and I to and from Little League baseball, cursed a blue streak, and would whap us upside the head if we dared cuss in his presence. But we knew he loved us unconditionally, and we loved him unconditionally back.

Haven’t sorted out your Father’s Day gift plans? We’ve got two great deals you should hear about.

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Audio Video News
HBO Max App Available on Sony Android TVs
Al Griffin  |  Jun 01, 2020  |  2 comments
When we reported on the launch of HBO Max last Wednesday, one shortcoming of the new service that we noted was spotty streaming hardware support. Smart TVs, in particular, had been left behind, with only one set manufacturer, Samsung, included in the list of supported devices on the HBO Max FAQ at launch. The day following our post, Sony reached out to share an announcement that the HBO Max app is now available on all Sony Android TVs released after 2015, upping the number of supported TV lines to two. But what about the other brands?
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Audio Video News
Tidal and Dolby Bring Atmos Music to Home Theaters
Al Griffin  |  May 29, 2020  |  7 comments
The presence of music in Dolby Atmos format on Tidal has been something of a well-kept secret since the streaming service started adding it in December 2019. Why? I suspect it’s because Atmos support so far has been limited to select Android smartphones and tablets—not exactly a premium method to experience immersive music. But things changed big time this week with Dolby and Tidal’s joint announcement that Tidal Hi-Fi subscribers can now stream Atmos music to home theater systems via an Apple TV 4K, Fire TV Stick, NVIDIA Shield TV, or other compatible device.
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Audio Video News
CEDIA Expo 2020 Canceled
Al Griffin  |  May 28, 2020  |  0 comments
Emerald (formerly Emerald Expositions) announced today that CEDIA Expo 2020, scheduled to take place September 8-12 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, CO, has been canceled. The event, which draws custom A/V and smart home technology integrators from the U.S. and beyond and also serves as a key launch platform for new products, follows a series of 2020 show cancellations, including High End Munich, AXPONA, and Rocky Mountain Audio Fest.
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Audio Video News
Best Gear of May 2020
Bob Ankosko  |  May 28, 2020  |  0 comments
Who know Ground Hog Day could last so long? Though not gone, the fear-inducing COVID-19 virus is loosening its grip on society, allowing Americans to finally start getting back to (or at least anticipate) something resembling normal life. For many of us, the return to normalcy means revisiting home entertainment aspirations with renewed vigor. To help with that quest, we present the latest round of Sound & Vision Top Picks — an eclectic ensemble that runs the gamut from a forward-looking AV receiver to an ingenious accessory that makes mounting a TV over your fireplace practical.
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Audio Video News
Sandy Gross Departs GoldenEar Technology
Al Griffin  |  May 27, 2020  |  4 comments
Back in early January we reported that The Quest Group, California-based owner of AudioQuest, had purchased speaker maker GoldenEar Technology. The following week, I met with GoldenEar co-founder Sandy Gross in the AudioQuest suite at CES and was happy to learn he would be continuing in his old role at the new company for the time being. Well, that time is now up: Gross has announced he is leaving The Quest Group in order to pursue his “many interests.”
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Audio Video News
It’s a Great Time to Bring A/V Into Your Backyard
Bob Ankosko  |  May 21, 2020  |  0 comments
The inimitable Robin Williams once said, “Spring is nature’s way of saying let’s party.” Living in the Northeast, I couldn’t agree more. Summer’s just around the corner and lockdown rules are finally being loosened to allow parks, beaches, and businesses to open. But the thing is, your backyard never closed. And what better time to take the music and other entertainment you enjoy inside your home to the great outdoors.
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Audio Video News
Yamaha Introduces A-S Series Integrated Amps
Al Griffin  |  May 15, 2020  |  10 comments
Back in fall 2019, Yamaha took a page from the Technics playbook and introduced a series of upscale components aimed squarely at audiophiles. The 5000 series it rolled out consisted of speakers, a preamp/amp, and a belt-drive turntable, each sporting a design that referenced the golden age of hi-fi and a price tag typical of much high-end gear. Yamaha has now added a trio of integrated amplifiers, the A-S series, to its Hi-Fi component lineup, providing audiophiles with a somewhat less pricey, though no less premium, system-building option.
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Audio Video News
Best Gear of the Year (So Far in 2020)
Bob Ankosko  |  May 14, 2020  |  0 comments
Home entertainment in all of its many forms has remained a constant during this time of great uncertainty, providing a welcome distraction from a pandemic that continues to command attention around the world. In the spirit of providing an escape from the unrelenting parade of COVID-19 statistics and prognostications, we offer a summary of Top Pick-worthy products we have reviewed so far in 2020 — any of which could be a valuable addition to your AV setup. It’s an eclectic mix for sure, running the gamut from $300 earbuds made of wood and a like-priced vacuum-based record cleaning system to an assortment of speakers, ranging from a $1,000 soundbar to an $8,000 home theater speaker system with several great options in-between. Enjoy, and drop us a line to let us know how you’re coping.
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