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Headphone Reviews
EnigmAcoustics Dharma D1000 Headphone Review
Steve Guttenberg  |  Dec 31, 2015

Performance
Build Quality
Comfort
Value
PRICE $1,190

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Hybrid dynamic/electrostatic design
Brilliant high-resolution sound!
Wide open imaging
Minus
The relatively stiff cable is kinky

THE VERDICT
The EnigmAcoustics Dharma D1000 seamlessly melds dynamic and electrostatic drivers to produce ultra high-resolution sound.

Even though I was hearing good reports from friends about the EnigmAcoustics Dharma D1000 hybrid electrostatic/dynamic headphone, I was still more than a bit skeptical about how successful the blending of its two drivers could be. AKG made hybrid dynamic/electrostatic headphones in the late 1970s. I auditioned a pair just a few years ago and heard the electrostatic tweeter and dynamic driver as two separate sound sources. Thankfully, the Dharma D1000 aced the blend—the two drivers sound like one.

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Audio Video News
Among Those We Lost in 2015…
SV Staff  |  Dec 31, 2015
A partial list of filmmakers, actors, musicians, and AV innovators we lost in 2015...
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Audio Video News
Flashback 2005: A 61-Inch TV Only 18 Inches Deep!
SV Staff  |  Dec 31, 2015
A decade ago TVs were getting slimmer but they still had a ways to go by today’s standards. The Samsung HL-R6168W rear-projection DLP set we reviewed in December 2005 boasted 1080p resolution, weighed 99 pounds, and was “only” 18 inches deep...
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
SVS to Unveil Multipurpose Height Speaker at CES
SV Staff  |  Dec 30, 2015
SVS announced plans to unveil a multipurpose speaker at CES designed to convey height information in Atmos and DTS:X “immersive surround sound” setups or serve as a surround-channel or center speaker in setups where conventional placement is not possible.
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AV Receiver Reviews
Yamaha Aventage CX-A5100 Surround Processor Review
David Vaughn  |  Dec 30, 2015

Audio Performance
Video Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $3,000

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Audiophile sound quality
Best-in-class control for iOS and Android
Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support
Built-in MusicCast multiroom audio
Minus
Slow to lock onto HDMI signals
YPAO doesn’t equalize below 31 Hz

THE VERDICT
Yamaha’s Aventage CX-A5100 is an incredible value in the sub-$5,000 pre/pro market, with stellar audio and a suite of usable features to keep an A/V enthusiast happy until the next upgrade cycle comes around.

Amazingly, you can buy a pretty damn good AVR these days that’s Dolby Atmos–enabled for under $500, so why spend more if you don’t have to? Well, there are many reasons: better-quality DAC chips, enhanced features (such as multiple zones for both audio and video), and more channels of audio and associated amplification. You can also usually count on these upgrades when you move into the realm of the preamp/processor (also known as a surround processor), though with pre/pros, you’re left on your own for the amplification. It’s kind of like an impromptu college party that advertises BYOB—except, it’s BYOA: Bring Your Own Amp(s)!

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The S&V InterviewAudio Video News
Meet the Maestro: B&O Tonmeister Geoff Martin
Bob Ankosko  |  Dec 30, 2015
I’ve met enough top speaker designers over the years to know that they’re all obsessive. And I mean that in a good way. To design a great speaker, you have to be obsessive. You have to be prepared to spend countless hours in the lab and in listening rooms evaluating and tweaking every conceivable variable to isolate that elusive mix of art and science that yields a speaker capable of fooling listeners into thinking they’re experiencing a live performance. A tall order, to be sure. Geoff Martin is not a designer, but as Bang & Olufsen’s tonmeister, he plays a critical role in the development of every speaker the Danish company makes. What’s a tonmeister? Read on.
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Audio Video News
Samsung to Unveil IoT-Compatible TVs
SV Staff  |  Dec 30, 2015
The decade-long “battle for the living room” will enter a new phase next week at CES when Samsung previews a 2016 smart TV lineup featuring SmartThings sensors and an Internet of Things (IoT) hub for linking all connected devices in a home, according to a report in VentureBeat.
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Audio Video News
1 in 4 Americans Shun Traditional Pay TV
SV Staff  |  Dec 29, 2015
One in seven American adults (15 percent) are “cord cutters” who have abandoned cable or satellite TV service, while another 9 percent have never subscribed to traditional pay TV, according to a survey conducted by Pew Research Center.
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Ask S&V
Making the Move from Discs to Computer Playback
Al Griffin  |  Dec 29, 2015
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I have two preschool-aged kids who use my CDs and DVDs as Frisbees and coasters. For that reason alone, I feel a need to make a transition from physical media to computer-based playback. I bought an AppleTV so the kids could watch cartoons on Netflix, which solved some issues. When I used AirPlay to stream music to the Apple TV from my computer and tablet, however, I wasn’t impressed by the sound quality...

Should I retire my circa-1998 Acurus Act 3 preamp and buy a new model with HDMI/USB inputs, or should I spend a few hundred dollars on an add-on solution for my PC and get more mileage out of my current system? I have an unused Dell Vostro 230 computer with a 240-GB SSD drive and a 3-TB backup that I can co-opt for that purpose. — Paul Erickson / via e-mail

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Audio Video News
New Spektral Quartet Album Recorded in Auro-3D
SV Staff  |  Dec 28, 2015
The Chicago-based ensemble Spektral Quarter has recorded its third ablum—Serious Business—in Auro-3D on the Sono Luminus label.
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