LATEST ADDITIONS

New Products
January 2018 New Gear
SV Staff  |  Jan 24, 2018
Severtson ALR Projection Screen
Severtson has been developing projection screens since 1986 when Ron Severtson invented a special optical coating for the screens used in military flight simulators. Today, the company produces an array of fixed and motorized screens for commercial venues, cinemas, and home theaters. Its newest residential screen is a 0.8-gain ambient light rejecting (ALR) model designed for use in sun-drenched rooms that destroy standard projection screens.
Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
Is Cord Cutting Real?
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 24, 2018
Analysts can’t seem to make up their minds about cord cutting. We’ve covered loads of studies asserting that viewers are shifting from traditional pay-TV to other viewing options. But some analysts demur, and occasionally we’ve cited them too.
Continue Reading »
Audio Video NewsNew Products
Procella Previews In-Wall/Ceiling Height Speaker, Amp
SV Staff  |  Jan 24, 2018
High-end home theater speaker specialist Procella Audio has announced an in-wall/ceiling speaker intended primarily for height and surround applications.
Continue Reading »
Apptitude
Time Lords of YouTube
Michael Antonoff  |  Jan 24, 2018
Streaming video has gone from VHS- to DVD to 1080p- to 4K quality over the decade. Yet, left behind were some extremely useful navigational controls that we took for granted on our “ancient” VCRs or DVD players. They included slow motion, smooth fast-forward, and the ability to bookend any segment for looping to our heart’s content.
Continue Reading »
Audio Video NewsNew Products
Pioneer Shows Personal Sound ‘Clarifier’
SV Staff  |  Jan 24, 2018
Hundreds of press announcements crossed our desks in the weeks leading up to, and during, CES 2018. One of the many products we didn’t have a chance to investigate in person was Pioneer’s PHA-M70 Personal Sound Amplifier, which is nick-named “Nani?” (Yes, the question mark is part of the unusual moniker…)
Continue Reading »
Headphone Reviews
Astell&Kern Michelle Limited Headphones Review
Steve Guttenberg  |  Jan 23, 2018

Performance
Build Quality
Comfort
Value
PRICE $399

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Most affordable ever three-way from the designer
Uber comfy
Vivacious sound
Minus
The voluptuous bass might be too much of a good thing

THE VERDICT
The Astell & Kern Michelle brings JH Audio headphone sound down to a new, more affordable price.

Sound & Vision readers probably know about Astell&Kern’s portable high-resolution digital audio players. But I’m guessing you’re less aware of Jerry Harvey Audio’s in-ear headphones, which have found favor not only with audiophiles, but also musicians and pro sound engineers who make up a sizeable percentage of Harvey’s customer base. The Michelle Limited in-ear headphones from Astell&Kern were designed by Jerry Harvey.

Continue Reading »
Audio Video NewsNew Products
Tributaries Ships ‘Most Advanced’ 18G HDMI Cables
SV Staff  |  Jan 23, 2018
Tributaries has announced that it is now shipping its most advanced HDMI cables ever to meet the increasing demand for cables that can handle content with high dynamic range (HDR), wide color gamut, and 60fps at lengths that extend beyond 4 meters (13 feet).
Continue Reading »
Ask S&V
Can an HDMI Audio Extractor Degrade Performance?
Al Griffin  |  Jan 23, 2018
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I have a Samsung HDTV and use the set’s analog minijack output to route an audio signal to my NAD integrated amplifier. Here’s my question: Would using an HDMI switcher/audio extractor that has HDMI inputs and HDMI and RCA-jack audio outputs increase sound quality? I have been told that using such a device would actually decrease audio performance. —James P. Landolt / via e-mail

Continue Reading »
Remotely Possible
CES 2018: Kitty-Litter Cleaning Robots and Bean-Roasting Coffee Makers
Darryl Wilkinson  |  Jan 22, 2018
Two things delineate the extremes of my life: cleaning out the kitty litter box and drinking coffee.
Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
EPA Recognizes Electronics Brands for Sustainability and Recycling Efforts
SV Staff  |  Jan 22, 2018
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized several electronics manufacturers and retailers for “making significant contributions in designing products sustainably and diverting electronics from landfills by sending them to third-party certified recyclers” as part of the agency’s Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Electronics Challenge.
Continue Reading »

Pages

X