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AV Receiver ReviewsBlu-ray Player Reviews
Denon S-5BD Blu-ray Receiver
Mark Fleischmann  |  Oct 25, 2010
Price: $1,799 At A Glance: A/V receiver with integrated Blu-ray drive • Audyssey MultEQ, Dynamic EQ, Dynamic Volume • USB port for direct iPod connection

Looking for the Right Fit

Let’s say you hit the mall looking for a leather jacket. You find a store with an especially nice selection and immerse yourself in the joy of leather. At first, you just walk around enjoying the sights. But then you refine your search: by color, style, material, lining, presence or absence of shoulder padding, the mechanical integrity of the zipper, and the little things, like whether there’s a fastened interior pocket the right size for your iPhone. Finally you hit the target, finding the jacket line that meets all of your specifications. You begin pawing through jackets, at first enjoying the little thrill of handling something you actually may buy. You paw through some more, getting nervous. Finally, you reach the end of the rack, and you’re frantic. You turn around, find a salesperson standing there, and ask: “Is this jacket available in a small?” The salesperson smirks and answers: “Sorry, sir, we only have that in large or extra-large.”

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Audio Video News
Samsung to Offer 3D Prescription Specs
user  |  Oct 25, 2010
One of the problems facing 3D enthusiasts is what to do about the glasses. Besides being expensive and manufacturer-specific, they also are uncomfortable for people who already wear glasses. Doesn't the bridge of your nose have enough to do?
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Premiere Design
Arcici Turntables
Scott Wilkinson  |  Oct 22, 2010
Known primarily for high-end equipment racks, Italian Arcici also makes some beautiful turntables. Shown here is the Alba with Lyla tonearm, the least expensive model that retails for 14,000 euro (about $19,500 as of this writing), and like the other Arcici turntables, all setup instruments and gauges are included.
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Ask the Expert: November 2010
Al Griffin  |  Oct 22, 2010

Question: I’m in the market for a Blu-ray player and A/V receiver, but I’d like the system to play 96-kHz/24-bit high-rez music downloads as well. The info I’ve found on manufacturer Web sites simply indicates whether or not the equipment supports Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, but not if the DACs support 96/24 decoding. Since many players and AVRs have a USB port, can this be used as an input for sending 96/24 files from my PC?
Joe Massey, Exeter, NH

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Test Report: LG 47LE8500 LCD HDTV Page 4
Rob Sabin  |  Oct 22, 2010

These days, LED-backlit LCD TVs get a lot of attention, thanks in part to their super-thin form factor. This is especially true for edge-lit LED models.

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Test Report: LG 47LE8500 LCD HDTV
Rob Sabin  |  Oct 22, 2010

These days, LED-backlit LCD TVs get a lot of attention, thanks in part to their super-thin form factor. This is especially true for edge-lit LED models.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Moulin Rouge (Blu-ray)
David Vaughn  |  Oct 22, 2010
Satine (Nicole Kidman) is a seductive courtesan and star of a popular French nightclub that caters to society's decadent elite. When she unwittingly draws Christian (Ewan McGregor) into her spell, true love turns to tragedy.

Moulin Rouge is one of the most unique films of the 21st century featuring outstanding performances by the two leads, elaborate sets, and entertaining music and choreography. Kidman was rewarded with her first of two Oscar nominations (winning the following year for The Hours) and the film received seven additional nominations including Best Picture (winning two awards for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration and Best Costume Design). Sadly, writer/director Baz Luhrmann was snubbed for Best Director although I feel he was more than deserving.

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Ears On
Practical Home Theater 10th Edition Hatched
Mark Fleischmann  |  Oct 21, 2010
An annual source of delight for readers everywhere is the updating of my book Practical Home Theater: A Guide to Video and Audio Systems (2011 Edition) from Quiet River Press. The latest edition is the 10th. Look out for the one with the spiffy green cover (yellow is so last year). In this year's edition you'll find a brand-new chapter on 3DTV with my own admittedly skeptical take on the subject. I've also consolidated the DVR and audio-server chapters into a new chapter on DVRs, streamers, and servers. It makes a lot more organizational sense. For the ISBN-minded, the ISBN-13 number is 9781932732122, and ISBN-10 is 1932732128. To ensure you order the right edition, click the links above and below. They'll take you to my website and that will take you to Amazon. You're also welcome to shop other online booksellers by searching the title on AddAll. Or, if you're the old-fashioned kind, walk through the door of your local bookstore and special-order the book. Just be sure to give the correct ISBN. This year's edition will be the first to be distributed in Europe, Canada, and Australia as well as U.S. and U.K. retail channels. The price remains $19.95 in the U.S., same as the first edition in 2002, a nice value in these hard times. Please buy my book so I won't have to beg in the street.
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Audio Video News
Marshall Headphones Debut November 15th
SV Staff  |  Oct 21, 2010
There's no shortage of headphones options out there at the moment, but starting on November 15th, legendary amp-maker Marshall will be entering the fray. There isn't a lot to talk about yet, since details on the familiar-looking cans is...
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Premiere Design
MSB 32/384 DAC, Disc Transport, ADC, and Monoblock
Scott Wilkinson  |  Oct 21, 2010
MSB Technology made a splash at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest last weekend with several new digital-audio products that can handle resolutions up to 32 bits and sampling rates as high as 384kHz. Also on hand was the company's newest monoblock power amp.
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