OTHER TECH

AXIOM

Epic 80/500 Speaker system November '07

Judging from the many "Sound & Vision Certified and Recommended" stamps you see applied to speaker systems reviewed in this magazine, there's no shortage of good options available in that category. But what sets Axiom's Epic 80/500 rig apart from many others is its extraordinary value: For a bit more than 3 grand, you get a great-looking system that combines detailed, neutral sonics with the kind of bass extension and dynamics you'd expect only from much more expensive speakers. A key reason why Axiom is able to cut such deals is its reliance on direct sales via the Web. And the company's user-friendly Web site, with its extensive product information and library of home-theater-related articles, helps take the terror out of online speaker-shopping. Also, Axiom's free shipping and its 30-day in-home trial policy, which gives you more than enough time to realize just how good these speakers are. axiomaudio.com -Al Griffin

GENELEC

Play 6020 Speaker system December '07

Before considering these speakers, you might need to recalibrate your thinking. While the idea of powered subwoofers seems self-evident, the idea of powered satellites might seem odd. But it makes perfect sense to dedicate an amplifier, and tailor its frequency response, to a specific speaker. This is often the case in studio monitors, but still a rarity in home models. You might also need to adjust your idea of playback accuracy. Many home speakers are hyped to sound good. By contrast, professional monitors are designed to be ruthlessly accurate. Enter the Genelec Play 6020 speakers ($3,999), home models derived from the company's legendary line of pro monitors. These self-powered speakers have a response that's flatter than Kansas and will faithfully reproduce your recordings. There's a very good chance that many of your recordings were mixed on Genelec speakers. So, by playing them back on Genelecs, you're a step closer to hearing what the mixing engineer intended. Besides, if you buy these speakers for your house, you can always open a recording studio. genelecusa.com -Ken C. Pohlmann

DENON

AVR-4308CI A/V receiver February/March '08

At the buzzer for this year came Denon's fresh-baked AVR-4308CI - for now, its second-from-the-top receiver at a price ($2,499) that looks downright cheap next to the $7,200 AVR-5808CI. This receiver has so much going for it that I'm willing to forgive - or at least gloss over - a few ergonomic issues, such as its inclusion of not one but two decidedly lackluster remote controls. The good stuff includes a sexy new full-color, high-def onscreen interface that comes up instantly on any video output and delivers detailed setup and tweaking menus and some cool visual feedback. You also get plenty of audio power and excellent upscaling/conversion to HD formats, including 1080p from any input; a useful Internet-audio streaming feature (with built-in Wi-Fi facilities) for Net-radio and music-file playback from your PC or a USB drive, plus extensive, multizone control via your local network from any Web browser (cool!); HD Radio on board, plus XM and iPod expandability; top-tier Audyssey DSP setup and EQ functions; and all-you-can-eat Dolby and DTS modes and features. It's a hell of a receiver, and combined with a decent third-party remote or system controller, it makes an impressive home-theater command center. usa.denon.com -Daniel Kumin