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KEF R5 Surround Speaker System Review
Thomas J. Norton  |  Mar 13, 2019

Speakers
Performance
Build Quality
Value

Subwoofer
Performance
Features
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $10,200 (as tested)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Sweet, clean highs
Superb dialogue clarity
Detailed but not aggressive sound
Minus
Slightly limited treble diffusion
R3s make for pricey surrounds

THE VERDICT
With a sweet balance on music and potent, but not aggressive, manner with movies, KEF’s R-series system delivers all-around outstanding performance.

KEF'S R Series speakers have long occupied the middle range of the British manufacturer's offerings. While the previous R Series was starting to get a bit long in the tooth, I found the performance of those speakers to be superb, having reviewed the last generation R700 for Sound & Vision's sister publication Stereophile in 2014.

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The S&V Interview
Dido: A Vocal Ingenue Who’s Still on Our Minds
Mike Mettler  |  Mar 13, 2019
Celebrated British chanteuse Dido called us to discuss her new album Still on My Mind and how her best song mixes are meant to draw you in as a listener, when and when not to use reverb, and why sequencing remains critical to the arc of an album.
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Audio Video News
PEEX Technology Brings Live Music into Sharp Focus
Bob Ankosko  |  Mar 13, 2019
How much would you be willing to pay to improve the sound of a live concert put on by one of your all-time favorite artists? That was one of many questions I pondered as walked to my seat at Elton John’s “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour last week at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. And what a seat it was: left of center, 11 rows from the stage and aligned perfectly with Elton’s grand piano.
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A/V Veteran
Why Are Disney's UHD Blu-ray Soundtracks Falling Short of the Mark?
Thomas J. Norton  |  Mar 12, 2019
Maybe I’m just in a bad mood from having dental surgery yesterday, or maybe there’s something odd happening at Disney these days. But what, exactly, is going on with some of their Ultra HD Blu-ray soundtracks?
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Signals
In Real Life (IRL)
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Mar 12, 2019
Shakespeare famously observed, “Brevity is the soul of wit.” But if Shakespeare could read modern texts, peppered with AFAIK, IMHO, LOL, OMG, ROTLF and WTF (which is NSFW), I’m not sure he would make the same assertion. And don’t get me started about emoticons.
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Home Movie Theaters
Hollywood with a Twist in Greensboro
Bob Ankosko  |  Mar 11, 2019
Do you want to walk into the picture above? We do. In our humble opinion, the latest home theater project from Cobb Home Innovations is hands down one of the most inviting media room spaces we’ve seen. Unlike a traditional home theater with rows of theater-like seating, this room screams “kick off your shoes and get comfortable because your mind is about to be blown.”
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Audio Video News
Tidal Launches MQA-Ready iOS App
SV Staff  |  Mar 11, 2019
The music streaming service TIDAL today launched an iOS app that supports the playback of high-resolution MQA-encoded music on the iPhone and other Apple devices
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Grace Notes
TIDAL Announces Million Dollar Grant for New Talent in Detroit
Leslie Shapiro  |  Mar 11, 2019
Get ready Detroit. Dust off your guitar, warm up those vocal chords. No, American Idol isn’t holding auditions. The music streaming service TIDAL is now accepting applications for a $1 million grant program designed to discover and develop new musical talent in Detroit.

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Audio Video News
SkyFi’s System of the Week Mixes Old and New
SV Staff  |  Mar 08, 2019
In January New York City’s Stereo Exchange expanded its operation to include the sale of “certified pre-owned” gear from NJ-based SkyFi Audio and continues to offer up a steady stream of vintage gems, like the ones featured here.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Helm Audio’s $100 Earbuds Are Wireless & Water-Resistant
SV Staff  |  Mar 08, 2019
Hong Kong-based Helm Audio, which made its North America debut last year, has announced that it is now shipping the wireless earbuds it previewed in November.
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