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AV Receiver Reviews
Denon AVR-1913 A/V Receiver
Dennis Burger  |  Nov 01, 2012
Audio Performance
Video Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
Price: $580 At A Glance: Incredibly intuitive Setup Assistant • Apple AirPlay • Assignable power amps • Network/Internet streaming

As much as the phrase “plug and play” has saturated the electronics world to the point of near-ubiquity, it’s not a label we’ve ever seen applied to the giant mess of inputs, outputs, and speaker connections that define the A/V receiver. That’s not to say that Denon is labeling the AVR-1913 as such, but you could make the case. Or, if not plug and play, perhaps plug and poke and plug and poke and plug and poke and play. (The comedic value would at least outweigh any drawbacks in marketability.)

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Smokey and the Bandit
Chris Chiarella  |  Nov 01, 2012
Picture
Sound
Extras
Interactivity
The second-highest-grossing movie of 1977 (behind only a certain science-fantasy film of some renown) and one of the biggest hits in the esteemed history of Universal Studios, Smokey and the Bandit combined frequent car chases, vast amounts of beer, and copious nose-thumbing at The Man to create a wildly popular piece of entertainment. Like most movies of the era, it lacks the slickness of modern fare and relies more heavily on the charm of its star, Burt Reynolds, as legendary trucker Bo “Bandit” Darville. He takes a big bet to deliver 400 cases of Coors beer across five states in only 28 hours, an extremely difficult and highly illegal challenge.
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Sweepstakes
AudioQuest DragonFly USB Digital-Audio Converter and Sydney Interconnect Sweepstakes
Jon Iverson  |  Oct 31, 2012  |  First Published: Nov 01, 2012
Register to win an AudioQuest DragonFly USB Digital-Audio Converter and Sydney Interconnect (MSRP $478) we are giving away.

DragonFly is an affordable and easy-to-use device that delivers far superior sound by bypassing the poor quality sound card that is built into your computer. DragonFly is a sleek, flash drive sized Digital-Audio Converter that connects to a USB jack on a Mac or Windows PC, turning any computer into a true high- fidelity music source.

[This Sweepstakes is now closed.]

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This Week
New Movies for October 30, 2012: A Post-Halloween Horror Feast
Josef Krebs  |  Oct 31, 2012

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Headphone Reviews
RHA MA450i In-Ear and SA950i On-Ear Headphones
Michael Berk  |  Oct 31, 2012

Scottish headphone manufacturer RHA hasn't had much of a stateside presence, but this week marks their arrival in Apple stores, with the MA450i in-ear ($49.95) and SA950i on-ear ($59.95) set to appeal to budget-minded consumers looking to accessorize their iDevices. And appeal they may.

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Tech2
DEQX Speaker Correction: RMAF’s Most Amazing Demo
Brent Butterworth  |  Oct 31, 2012

At the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest in Denver earlier this month, I must have visited at least 100 demo rooms and booths. But DEQX impressed me more than any of the scores of headphones, speakers, and electronics I heard.

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CinemaStyle
Let’s All Go to the Lobby
Michelle McCarthy  |  Oct 30, 2012
Since the goal is to re-create the local cineplex in your living room, you might as well go the whole nine yards and include concessions. What’s a movie-going experience without popcorn? And we’re not talking about the kind you drop in the microwave or shake over an open flame till it expands. We mean the authentic, buttery goodness that is often devoured before the first preview rolls. And there’s an added bonus to popping kernels in the privacy of your home theater: You can always press pause when you need a refill. Here are a few of the best popcorn makers on the market.
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Audio Video News
The S+V Interview: Need for Speed Most Wanted Audio Lead Vanesa Lorena Tate
Timothy J. Seppala  |  Oct 30, 2012

Criterion Games wants wanted their latest open-world crashathon racer Need for Speed: Most Wanted (out today for PC, PS3, Vita, Xbox 360) to be a more film-like experience. So they hired BAFTA Award nominee Vanesa Lorena Tate to take on audio lead responsibilities. She’s been composing since she was four years old and has worked on such films as Hellboy 2: The Golden Army and two Harry Potter flicks: The Order of the Phoenix and The Deathly Hallows part 2 in addition to Criterion’s last Need for Speed, 2010’s Hot Pursuit.

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This Week
New Music for October 30, 2012: Psychedelic Sessions Present and Past from Neil Young, Jerry and Merl
Mark Smotroff  |  Oct 30, 2012

Neil Young: Psychedelic Pill

What a musical treat 2012 has been so far : new music from XTC's Andy Partridge (via Mike Keneally and Peter Blegvad), three new Guided By Voices albums and now a second new Neil Young album - out today - called Psychedelic Pill.

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HDTV Buying Tips
Disco-Rama and Other CE Sales Lingo You Need to Know
Michael Antonoff  |  Oct 29, 2012
Ever seen a TV set disco? Retailers see TVs dance off the shelves two or three times a year as manufacturers refresh their lines.

Welcome to the secret language of consumer electronics (CE) retailing. To the public, a set that discos should be mounted on a turntable so that the screen can be swung around by viewing partners from opposite directions. But to those who sell TVs, the term is shorthand for discontinued.

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