LATEST ADDITIONS

Custom Installation How-To
Atmos Makeover: A Space Odyssey, Part 2
David Vaughn  |  Apr 02, 2015
In Part 1 of my Atmos upgrade diary, I wrote about my unconventional home theater space with its vaulted ceiling and open floor plan, and how I eventually decided to lower the ceiling and install built-in speakers to achieve my Atmos dreams. Here, in Part 2, I’ll describe how I went about rebuilding my system for Atmos and talk about my first listening tests.
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SmartStream
Jay Z Relaunches Tidal with a Parade of Celebrity Artists
Barb Gonzalez  |  Apr 01, 2015
Jay Z relaunched the newly purchased Tidal hi-fi music streaming service with hopes that it will change the way artists are paid. Check out the details and the star-studded video of the Tidal press conference from March 30.
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Soundbar Reviews
Lirpa Labs MZ1-949r Soundbar Review
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Apr 01, 2015
Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $1,019

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Line array is audio perfection
Perfect bass
Incredible smart-home features
Minus
Design is a little common
Adds red tint to images

THE VERDICT
The Lirpa Labs MZ1-949r soundbar offers a new level of features and sound that everyone will love.

A few years ago, we reviewed the Lirpa Labs 1776, a speaker unlike any other, and a true statement in the audio world. Sadly, despite critical acclaim—it was widely considered to be the best speaker of all time—the 1776 was a commercial failure. Lirpa Labs held on briefly, with some, shall we say, “eccentric” headphones, but the company was nearly bankrupt. An ill-advised and poorly implemented app was a step too far.

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Audio Video News
RIP, Apple Clickwheel
Mark Fleischmann  |  Mar 31, 2015
Students of the user interface are in mourning for Apple’s clickwheel, which passed away quietly in Cupertino, California, at the age of 13.
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Projector Reviews
LG PF85U Portable LED DLP Projector
Al Griffin  |  Mar 31, 2015
Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $1,199

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Crisp, bright image for a portable projector
Accurate color
Provides built-in Smart TV and streaming features
Minus
So-so black levels and picture contrast
Visible DLP rainbow effect
Limited installation options

THE VERDICT
LG’s portable PF85U has cool features and impressive picture quality for a portable projector, but its performance isn’t exactly up to snuff for regular home theater use.

LG’s PF85U DLP projector brings some interesting things to the table (literally, in many cases). It’s compact, portable, and driven by an LED light source. It has built-in Wi-Fi, LG’s Smart TV interface, and its streaming options include Netflix, Vudu, and Amazon Instant Video. At $1,199, it’s priced attractively for a 1080p-res projector with decent light output.

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Signals
Angels on My Shoulders: To 4K or Not to 4K
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Mar 31, 2015
I’m shopping for a new TV. Should I buy an older technology that performs well and costs very little, or a newer technology that is better but costs more? Specifically, I’m trying to decide which LCD to buy—HD or 4K? Two angels have landed on my shoulders. As you might expect, they have very different points of view...
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Sweepstakes
Audioengine's B2 Bluetooth Speaker Sweepstakes
SV Staff  |  Mar 30, 2015
Register to win an Audioengine B2 Bluetooth Speaker (MSRP $299) we are giving away.

According to the company:

"The audio quality of most Bluetooth products isn't usually very inspiring and their limited range can be frustrating. The B2 solves these problems by implementing the aptX codec, which is a high-quality audio converter designed specifically for audio. The B2 also has special circuitry and a precision-tuned antenna to extend the wireless range, providing much more versatility than other Bluetooth speakers."

[This sweepstakes is now closed.]

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Ask S&V
Trials and Tribulations with an Outboard Phono Preamp
Al Griffin  |  Mar 30, 2015
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I have a Denon receiver. Since the receiver has no phono input, I purchased a Pfantone AMP2 phono preamp so I could play records through it. The preamp works, but the volume level is low, even with the Denon’s volume turned all the way up. A friend suggested that the preamp simply doesn’t have the power to provide full stereo sound. Is this correct, or is there some other explanation? —Shaun Herron / via e-mail

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Tech2
Not Reviewing Bob Dylan’s “Shadows in the Night”
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Mar 27, 2015
I am a HUGE Bob Dylan fan. I have all his studio albums, most of his live albums, and all the “Bootleg” collections except for the most recent (it’s on the list).

So the arrival of a new Bob Dylan album is met, by this fan, by no small amount of excitement.

But Shadows in the Night, well, um… I don’t know what to make of it.

That not true. I know exactly what I think of it. I don’t like it. Does that make it bad?

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Custom Installation How-ToAudio Video NewsHome Movie Theaters
Atmos Makeover: A Space Odyssey, Part 1
David Vaughn  |  Mar 27, 2015
Here at Sound & Vision we’ve given quite a bit of coverage to Dolby Atmos so far, and rightly so. Editor Rob Sabin has called it “the most discernible advance in home theater sound since the introduction of lossless digital audio formats on Blu-ray. And it’s one that leaves Dolby Pro Logic IIz and DTS Neo: X (height and width-channel surround formats) in the dust.”
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