LATEST ADDITIONS

Sonos recently introduced the Sonos One smart speaker with built-in Alexa voice control. But you don’t have to buy a new speaker to use Alexa to control your Sonos system.

Hisense, the multinational consumer electronics manufacturer and TV market share leader in China, today announced the availability of what it is touting as a 100-inch 4K “Laser TV.” The thing is, it’s not really a TV in the traditional sense.

PRICE$479

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Satisfying power for both two-channel and multi-channel modes
3.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos/DTS:X setup option with phantom surrounds
Surprisingly responsive home-network streaming
Basic auto-setup/EQ on board
Minus
Five-channel power requires choice between height or rear channels
No analog multiroom capability
No audio outputs other than HDMI

THE VERDICT
Good five-channel power, 4K/HDR readiness, excellent streaming responsiveness, and phantom-rear-channel Atmos give this affordable AVR its distinct attractions.

Everybody knows what to expect from a flagship or cruiser-class A/V receiver: top-bracket power of 120 watts per channel or more, with nine, 11, or even 13 channels ready for latest-generation surround technologies like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, as well as hightech auto-setup routines and DSP on board. And then there are the deluxe extras, such as extensive multiroom capabilities, 4K/HDR passthrough and 4K scaling, and plenty of internet- and computer-audio streaming options. But what can you expect from the other end of a brand’s AVR fleet? Not so much, right?

DTS has announced that the first DTS Play-Fi-enabled speaker to incorporate Amazon’s Alexa Voice Service is now available.