LATEST ADDITIONS

SV Staff  |  Oct 09, 2015
Cars, Deep Purple, N.W.A., Nine Inch Nails, Steve Miller, and Yes Among the Nominees

The nominees for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016, presented by Klipsch Audio, are in and you can cast your votes at rockhall.com through December 9.

Mark Fleischmann  |  Oct 08, 2015
It's been seven years since Bowers & Wilkins introduced the Zeppelin audio system. That's an eternity for this kind of product. Now the world is awash in phone-friendly compact powered speakers. Yesterday the company took the wraps off the new Zeppelin Wireless at a New York press event.

SV Staff  |  Oct 08, 2015
LG today announced 30- to 45-percent price reductions for its new flat EF9500 series and curved EG9600 series 4K OLED TVs and introduced a 55-inch 1080p model that will sell for $2,000 starting October 18, making it the company’s least expensive OLED model to date.
Barb Gonzalez  |  Oct 08, 2015
This fall brings lot of streaming news with the release of new Chromecast and Roku models as well as new features to Hulu, YouTube and Amazon Prime. It may be time to upgrade.
Rob Sabin  |  Oct 08, 2015
Two close-together and closely aligned recent announcements about the flat-panel TV business really got me reflecting on how much that world has changed…and is changing again.

Al Griffin  |  Oct 08, 2015
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I am switching over from a 5.1 speaker system to a soundbar but would still like to use my current Paradigm PW 2500 subwoofer with it. Are there any new soundbars that can be used with an existing powered sub? —John Rothery / Tacoma, WA

SV Staff  |  Oct 08, 2015
Check out the behind-the-scenes camcorder footage from the set of 1990’s Back to the Future Part III. You’ll definitely want to use the slider bar to buzz through some of the shaky parts of the 20-minute video. Toward the end (about 18:17) Michael J. Fox does a meet and greet with neighborhood kids.
Mike Mettler  |  Oct 08, 2015
Is it fair to say everything little thing Andy Summers does is magic? It certainly seems that way, as the onetime Police guitarist is experiencing a late-career renaissance, having recently dropped a diverse instrumental album, Metal Dog (Flickering Shado), and narrated an acclaimed documentary about his former band, Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving The Police (Cinema Libre). Summers, 72, and I recently spoke about creating those signature Metal Dog soundscapes, becoming a voiceover artist, and the (sorry) arresting nature of The Police's unique chemistry. His not-so-secret journey makes us all see light in the darkness.
Mark Fleischmann  |  Oct 07, 2015
Mention wireless connectivity in consumer electronics and the first names that come up are Bluetooth, AirPlay, DLNA, Wi-Fi, and Sonos. But another player is making major inroads. That's DTS-owned Play-Fi, which spreads lossless audio through a home Wi-Fi network. Since its introduction a few years ago with a handful of modest Phorus-brand speakers, Play-Fi has expanded its partnerships to include some high-profile names in the audio industry, while expanding the functionality of its platform.
Mark Fleischmann  |  Oct 07, 2015

Audio Performance
Video Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $2,399

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Nuanced, open, uncolored sonics
Stream Magic module
Auto setup imposes no room correction
Minus
Bluetooth requires adapter
A $2,400 AVR with no Dolby Atmos or DTS:X
Auto setup imposes no room correction

THE VERDICT
This receiver makes idiosyncratic audiophile choices—omitting Atmos, Bluetooth, and other features—but the revamped look and feel are great, and the sound is reliably musical.

At first glance, the cosmetic difference between Cambridge Audio’s new CXR receivers and the company’s previous Azur line is almost shocking. The older receivers were stellar performers, but their look was strictly utilitarian, even a bit dowdy. They were the consumer electronics equivalent of Queen Elizabeth II. Whatever her traditional virtues may be, she hasn’t won many beauty contests lately. What a difference a new look makes! The CXR receivers have a cleaner, sleeker front panel, with fewer controls and a generously oversized display. They’re less QEII, more Kate Middleton—who, coincidentally, is also known as the Duchess of Cambridge.

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