LATEST ADDITIONS

New ProductsPremiere Design
Reaching Nirvana: Pioneer SE-MASTER1 Headphone
Bob Ankosko  |  Jan 27, 2016
When I picked up Pioneer’s SE-MASTER1 headphone at CEDIA Expo in October, I knew it was special. Substantial yet lightweight and exceptionally well crafted with scrupulous attention to detail, right down to the contoured ear cushions and engraved serial number. (Sorry, S/N 00001 is already spoken for.) If you were to crack open the ear cups, you’d find the same commitment to excellence in the form of a highly refined ceramic-coated aluminum diaphragm surrounded by a ribbed ring, designed to reduce distortion, all framed in a sturdy aluminum alloy to minimize resonance.
Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
RCA Announces 4K TVs, Says HDR Coming Later
SV Staff  |  Jan 27, 2016
In a CES press release, one-time TV market leader RCA says it’s committed to delivering the latest technology. “Staying true to the RCA brand means staying on top of market trends, so HDR is a big focus, because it’s what consumers want this year,” said Patrick Deighan of Activeon, which sells RCA under license from Technicolor.

Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
Aereo Founder Readies Internet Access Startup
SV Staff  |  Jan 27, 2016
Entrepreneurs never sit still. Even in the face of defeat. Witness Aereo founder Chet Kanojia whose ingenious Internet-based TV delivery scheme was deemed illegal last year by the Supreme Court.
Continue Reading »
SmartStream
First Look at Spotify's New Video Channels
Barb Gonzalez  |  Jan 26, 2016
Spotify has made a name for itself as one of the leading streaming music services and this week will add video to its Android and iPhone apps. Officially, video will roll out on the Android app first, followed by an update to the iPhone app in the coming weeks.
Continue Reading »
A/V Veteran
Countdown to Ultra HD Blu-ray
Thomas J. Norton  |  Jan 26, 2016
We’re only a couple of months away from the scheduled introduction of Ultra HD Blu-ray players and the UHD discs to play on them. At CES both Samsung and Philips announced players due in March, and 17 titles are currently listed on Amazon for release March 1.
Continue Reading »
4K TV ReviewsLCD TV ReviewsTV Reviews
Vizio RS65-B2 LCD Ultra HDTV Review
Thomas J. Norton  |  Jan 26, 2016

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $6,000

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Full Ultra HD capability including HDR and wide color
Superb blacks and shadow detail
Integrated soundbar with subwoofer and surrounds
Minus
Expensive
HDR limited to Dolby Vision
Ineffective color management system (CMS)
2D only

THE VERDICT
Most current 4K sets deliver only the 4K slice of Ultra HD’s full pie. The RS65-B2 goes all the way, including 4K resolution, advanced color, and high dynamic range.

In a recent review of Vizio’s relatively affordable M65-C1 Ultra HDTV (soundandvision.com), I reflected on that company’s vision in having “sale prices low enough to attract millions of buyers.” But reality has a way of intruding on a dream, and a state-of-the-art Ultra HD set isn’t cheap to produce. With its new, two-model Reference Series (the 120-inch, RS120B3, which sells for $130,000, and the 65-incher under review here), the company now challenges the thin-aired peaks of cost-no-object sets previously dominated by older, more established brands. In fact, only selected dealers and some custom installers even carry the Reference Series.

Continue Reading »
Remotely Possible
Control4 Makes Awesome Automation Affordable
Darryl Wilkinson  |  Jan 26, 2016
It won’t make international news (or national news, for that matter), nor will it overshadow coverage of the latest dazzling Kickstarter darling in most of the tech press outlets. But the three new home entertainment and automation controllers Control4 announced (and began shipping!) today are likely to be the most exciting and impactful smart home-related hardware that will actually make it into people’s homes in all of 2016—and I say that fully cognizant of the fact that we have 11 more months yet to go in the year.

Continue Reading »
Audio Video NewsNew Products
Zvox Previews “Full Metal Jacket” Soundbars
SV Staff  |  Jan 26, 2016
Zvox demonstrated a pair of “Full Metal Jacket” soundbars earlier this month at CES 2016 that it plans to ship in April.
Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
World Famous London Nightclub Goes Atmos
SV Staff  |  Jan 26, 2016
The top dance room in London’s world famous Ministry of Sound (MoS) nightclub has been outfitted with a Dolby Atmos surround sound system to help kick off the club’s 25th anniversary.
Continue Reading »
Signals
Vroom Vroom Porsche Soundbar
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Jan 26, 2016
You've done the factory tour at Zuffenhausen. Eight times. You once got in a fight and lost a canine, defending the IMS bearing in your M96 engine You patiently explain to newbies why the ignition switch is on the left side. Of course, you have "911" tattooed on your bicep. And, you just bought a Porsche Design soundbar.

Continue Reading »

Pages

X