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Blu-ray Player Reviews
Sony UBP-X800 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player Review
Al Griffin  |  May 24, 2017

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $300

AT A GLANCE
Plus
High-quality video upconversion of standard Blu-rays
Plays SACDs, DVD-Audio discs, and native DSD files
Inexpensive
Minus
No announced Dolby Vision support
No analog audio outputs

THE VERDICT
Sony’s ultra-affordable Ultra HD Blu-ray player offers solid video performance, and it also plays SACDs and DVD-Audio discs.

Call it nostalgia, but the launch of an audio or video format strikes me as an opportunity to reflect on what came before it—especially now, with the sun threatening to set on physical media. When the Blu-ray Disc first appeared a little more than a decade ago, Sony was among its main flagwavers. Not only that, but the company’s PlayStation 3 console was considered by many to be the top-performing player in the Blu-ray format’s primitive days. Samsung and Panasonic were quick to push out standalone Blu-ray players, but the folks at Sony took their sweet time bringing their own model to market. When the BDP-S1 did arrive, it was well received for its picture quality—though it had design quirks, including an inability to play CDs.

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Audio Video News
Nugs.net Kicks off MQA Downloads with Metallica, Springsteen Concerts
SV Staff  |  May 24, 2017
Metallica photo: Ross Halfin

Nugs.net, the website dedicated downloading and streaming live music from some of the world’s largest touring acts, has adopted MQA’s Master Quality Authenticated audio encoding technology for the downloading and streaming services it provides for more than 1,000 artists.

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Audio Video News
Are you a Webroomer?
SV Staff  |  May 24, 2017
The entry of showrooming into the retail lexicon a few years ago portended the death of brick-and-mortar retailing—or so it seemed at the time. Consumers would visit stores to inspect the merch, then order it online.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
iHome Launches Voice-Controlled Outdoor Speakers
SV Staff  |  May 24, 2017
iHome is kicking off Memorial Day Weekend with a line of funky outdoor speakers that play tunes on request.
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Headphone Reviews
Blue Sadie Headphones
Steve Guttenberg  |  May 23, 2017
Performance
Build Quality
Comfort
Value
PRICE $399

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Brilliant styling
Built-in headphone amp
Click-on bass boost
Minus
Not super transparent

THE VERDICT
The Blue Sadie is one of the more unique headphones on the market. The look and feel are mighty impressive. The sound is up to snuff too!

Blue is known primarily as a high-end studio and consumer microphone manufacturer, but they broke into the headphone scene with their radically designed Mo-Fi back in 2014. I liked that headphone well enough, but it was heavy, and the sound balance struck me as a little too Beats inspired. Mo-Fi is history, but Blue’s new one goes by the name Sadie, and her sound is more in tune with audiophile tastes.

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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Marantz Addresses Tight Spaces with Slimline AVRs
SV Staff  |  May 23, 2017
Marantz has packed a full suite of home theater and multiroom features into a pair of slimline AV receivers designed for tight spaces.
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Signals
Sony: Ready for a Comeback?
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  May 23, 2017
In recent years, market trends have not been kind to Sony. The company has struggled to adapt to changing technologies and consumer tastes. Once a powerhouse, it slipped in stature and lost billions. But now, in its most recent corporate announcements, there may be a glimmer of hope.

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Audio Video News
Smart Home Survey Probes the Tech-Savvy and the Tech-Reluctant
SV Staff  |  May 23, 2017
Nearly half of all Americans consider themselves to be tech-savvy, according a new survey by ReportLinker. Zero in on millennials and, not surprisingly, the figure rises to 58 percent.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Integra Unveils Custom Install-Focused AV Receivers
SV Staff  |  May 22, 2017
Integra has introduced two 7.2-channel AV receivers with features designed to ease custom installation.
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Audio Video News
ATSC 3.0 Spurs Consumer Interest in Smart TV
SV Staff  |  May 22, 2017
Interest in buying an internet-connected smart TV goes up when consumers learn about the capabilities of the next-generation ATSC 3.0 broadcast TV standard, according to the findings of a national survey conducted by market research firm SmithGeiger.
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