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Grace NotesAudio Video News
Apple’s Buyout of Beats for Billions: Is Music Still Alive?
Leslie Shapiro  |  May 12, 2014
Any second now, confirmation is expected on Apple’s buyout of Beats Music for a reported $3.2 billion. That’s billion with a “b”. There’s no doubt that Beats is a valuable commodity. They did for headphones what Nike’s Air Jordans did for sneakers: No one cares if they’re the best product, they just care if it’s got the right logo. Is this a smart business move for Apple? Frankly, I don’t give a damn.

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LCD TV Technology: Banding or Screen Uniformity?
Al Griffin  |  May 12, 2014
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I was thinking of buying a Sony XBR-65HX950 3D LCD HDTV based on Sound & Vision ’s positive review of that set. [Editor’s note: We actually reviewed the smaller XBR-55HX950.] However, I see plenty of ticked-off people on Amazon complaining about banding issues with that model. Do you consider banding a factory defect or just a quirk that has to be accepted with LCD technology? —Mike Cahan / via e-mail

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Tech2
Movie Review: Godzilla
Geoffrey Morrison  |  May 11, 2014
GODZILLA!!!! I’m going to admit something here: I’ve never seen a Godzilla movie. Not all the way through. My knowledge (or lack thereof) has only ever existed as what I absorbed through the zeitgeist.

The pieces I saw of the most recent American incarnation seemed right terrible, and best avoided. How dare you do that to Jean Reno. He was Leon FFS.

But the trailer for this one looked really cool, and a friend who is into Godzilla seemed excited. Lucky me, then, I got invited to the premiere.

Don’t worry, no spoilers, I promise.

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Subwoofer Reviews
SVS SB-2000 and PB-2000 Subwoofers
David Vaughn  |  May 09, 2014

SVS SB-2000 Subwoofer
Performance
Features
Build Quality
Value

SVS PB-2000 Subwoofer
Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $700, $800

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Room-friendly form factor (SB-2000)
Outstanding build quality
45-day in-home trial period
Minus
No built-in parametric equalizer
Best for moderately sized rooms

THE VERDICT
For rooms smaller than 3,000 cubic feet, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better bass value than what either of these subwoofers offers.

I've loved movies since I was a kid and have been interested in home theater for more than 20 years now. There are many reasons I prefer watching movies at home versus the local cinema: There's no texting or talking, for example, and I can pause the movie if I need a potty break. But the biggest reason I love watching at home is the sound. Don't get me wrong. It's not that the local theater sounds bad; it's just that my home theater sounds better overall, especially when it comes to bass.

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Soundbar Reviews
Definitive Technology SoloCinema Studio Soundbar System
Daniel Kumin  |  May 09, 2014

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $1,199

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Super-svelte dimensions
Natural voicing and excellent subwoofer blend
Surprising volume ability
Minus
Limited stereo image width
Mediocre remote-control range

THE VERDICT
Solid tonal balance, unusually good soundbar/subwoofer integration, and substantial volume for so slim a design make the SoloCinema Studio a fine performer in its category.

Love them or hate them, soundbars are a big part of what’s keeping audio manufacturers afloat these days—those, at least, that haven’t already repaired to Davy Jones’ Locker. Baltimore’s Definitive Technology, a firm whose “real” loudspeakers have for two decades and more set high standards of performance and value, is no newcomer to the bar scene. Its latest effort is the SoloCinema Studio, a two-piece job, and the bar half is tiny, quite literally a bar: just 3-plus inches square by 42-plus wide.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The Last Stand
Chris Chiarella  |  May 08, 2014
Picture
Sound
Extras
Interactivity
High on the list of stars needing a good movie under their belt we would find the beleaguered Mr. Schwarzenegger. His box office clout was waning, then he spent many years away from show business to run California. At one point his most promising comeback vehicle seemed to be a bizarre "Governator" cartoon, and then it all came crashing down amid a horrible public scandal. But could he still hold his own on the big screen if he wanted to?
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Ask S&V
Can I Connect a Blu-ray Burner to My HDTV?
Al Griffin  |  May 08, 2014
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I plan to buy a Pioneer BDR-XU03 Blu-ray burner for my iMac. I'd also like to connect it to the HDTV in my family room for watching movies. Is there such a thing as a USB to HDMI converter? If not, do you have any other suggestions? —Kendall Knights via email

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SmartStream
Amazon Instant Video's X-Ray Nails the Second-Screen Experience
Barb Gonzalez  |  May 07, 2014
Many Amazon streaming movies and TV shows include the X-ray feature that dynamically lists actors and other information on the Amazon's Kindle Fire. It's a must for any IMDB addict.
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Audio Video News
Subscription Video Streamers Are Voracious ‘TV Everywhere’ Viewers
SV Staff  |  May 07, 2014
One out of five (21 percent) pay TV subscribers use the TV Everywhere streaming services provided by their pay-TV operator at least once a month, according to the new “TV Everywhere” survey from NPD Group.
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Remotely Possible
A Tale of Two Towers and the Companies that Built Them
Darryl Wilkinson  |  May 07, 2014
For three short days in April, I had one pair each of new flagship speakers from two of the hottest companies in the audio business today: Definitive Technology and GoldenEar Technology. Both models are so new that, in the case of Def Tech, the Mythos ST-L SuperTower is on very tight allocation to dealers. The new Triton One Tower speakers aren’t even listed yet on GoldenEar Technology’s website. (As of right now, anyway.) Both models are $5,000/pair, which means that, if you’re interested in high-performance audio and can afford to indulge your passion for music (and home theater), chances are only one pair of these two speakers will find its way into your home. So the inevitable question is going to be: Which one is the better speaker?
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