LATEST ADDITIONS

Soundbar ReviewsGrace Notes
Hands On: Fluance AB40 Wide Angle Soundbase
Leslie Shapiro  |  Apr 28, 2017
I have never been a fan of soundbars. How can a little row of speakers replace the full-range sound of a true home-theater speaker system? It just can’t. However, soundbars heavy-set cousin, the soundbase, provides an interesting middle ground. I was skeptical of the Fluance AB40 Wide Angle soundbase when it first showed up, but after spending some time getting to know it, my opinion has changed—dramatically.

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Audio Video News
Filtering Services Evolve
Mark Fleischmann  |  Apr 27, 2017
Back in the days before Blu-ray, companies like ClearPlay and TV Guardian offered parents a way to filter their children’s DVD viewing to screen out material deemed offensive. Some may call it censorship; others, a necessary tool for parents.
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Throwback Thursday
Flashback 2005: YouTube Is Born
SV Staff  |  Apr 27, 2017
Twelve years ago this month, Jawed Karim uploaded the first video to the new YouTube video-sharing website he and his partners Chad Hurley and Steve Chen had just created.
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Audio Video News
Comic Book Giant DC to Launch Streaming Service
SV Staff  |  Apr 27, 2017
DC Entertainment, home of the iconic superheroes Batman and Superman, is teaming with Warner Bros. to launch a streaming service with Warner Bros. next year.
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Ask S&V
Can a Projector Deliver the Benefits of HDR?
Al Griffin  |  Apr 27, 2017
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I own an Epson 5040UB projector that is high dynamic range-compatible and has “4K Enhancement Technology.” But it’s my understanding that projectors are unable to deliver all the benefits of HDR. If that’s true, is it worth it for me to upgrade to an Ultra HD Blu-ray player to use with my 5040UB? —Harry Torres

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SmartStream
Hands On: Dish’s AirTV Combines Sling, Local Channels
Barb Gonzalez  |  Apr 26, 2017
Designed for cord-cutters, Dish’s AirTV combines premium and local channels with online streaming and attempts to mimic the experience of watching cable or satellite. We take it for a test drive.
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New ProductsPremiere Design
Finding Sonic Paradise: HiFiMan's Shangri-La Electrostatic Headphone System
Bob Ankosko  |  Apr 26, 2017
HiFiMan founder Dr. Fang Bian has been crafting fine headphones for more than a decade, collecting numerous awards along the way. In the past two years alone, five of his designs have been designated Top Picks in these pages. Despite this incredible success, Bian wanted more. He had a lifelong dream to fulfill: To create the “world’s best-sounding headphone.” As he put it, “While HiFiMan has made many good headphones, and people certainly enjoy them, none has ever fully satisfied that dream.”
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The Connected Life
5 Ways to Boost Your Wi-Fi Performance
John Sciacca  |  Apr 26, 2017
Does your Wi-Fi network suck? Here are five things you can do to significantly improve its performance.
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Apptitude
The Ins and Outs of Downloading from Netflix
Michael Antonoff  |  Apr 26, 2017
Netflix added the ability to download content for offline viewing a few months ago. Here’s how it works.
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Headphone Reviews
Audio-Technica ATH-A2000Z Headphones
Steve Guttenberg  |  Apr 25, 2017
Performance
Build Quality
Comfort
Value
PRICE $649

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Made in Japan
Neutral sound balance
Two-year warranty
Minus
Cable isn’t user-replaceable

THE VERDICT
The Audio-Technica ATH-A2000Z somehow looks brand new and classic at the same time, and we could say the same about the sound.

The ATH-A2000Z is the top model from Audio-Technica’s Art Monitor Series, and its polished titanium earcups are a not-so-subtle hint about the headphone’s status in the company’s pecking order. It’s made in Japan, just like AudioTechnica’s very best headphones (such as the ATH-W5000). The company has been making ’phones since 1974.

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