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TV Reviews
Panasonic TC-P55ST50 Plasma 3D HDTV
Thomas J. Norton  |  Jun 14, 2012

2D Performance
3D Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
Price: $1,700 At A Glance: Superb resolution • Vivid yet natural color • Solid black level and shadow detail • Outstanding value

HDTV manufacturers’ fortunes have been in a perpetual state of flux for years. With prices continually dropping, profit margins are slim. While the TV makers haven’t quite yet adopted a business plan that calls for losing money on each sale, there isn’t much further they can go without them paying you to take the set home. Just kidding, of course. But apart from the dicey economy (or perhaps because of it?), this is a golden age for the consumer to buy a great HDTV for not a lot of cash.

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Headphone Reviews
Review: AIRbudz Concept Eartips
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jun 14, 2012

Anyone who's ever been out on a bike path or trail knows the hazard of approaching another runner who's wearing earphones. You know you should announce that you're passing them, but you know they can't hear you. As a cyclist, I always shout out "passing on your left" or even just a friendly "hello" to let someone know I'm behind them.

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A/V Veteran
Let's Put On a Show!
Thomas J. Norton  |  Jun 14, 2012
The weekend before last, I drove to Newport Beach, CA, for the second iteration of The Home Entertainment (T.H.E. Show), Newport Beach, or THESNB. (Just kidding on the latter, though the full name is a bit cumbersome.) Last year's installment was fun but a little thin on exhibitors. This year, the show was so much bigger that it had to spread out from the main venue of the Hilton Hotel to the Atrium Hotel next door. If I had known it was going to be so big, I would have arranged to spend two days there instead of simply making it a day trip.
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Portable Player Reviews
Review: BeoPlay A3 iPad Dock
Michael Berk  |  Jun 14, 2012

Bang & Olufsen's take on personal tech has never been ordinary, and the company's first iPad-specific dock is right in character. The BeoPlay A3 is a luxurious, minimal appliance, suitable for use "in the summerhouse, on the boat, or in the bedroom" - and maybe, just maybe, for the rest of us.

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Home Theater Geeks Podcast
Podcast 115: Michael Fremer
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jun 13, 2012
The inimitable Michael Fremer, editor of the new website AnalogPlanet.com, talks about his career as an analog advocate, the sonic and emotional difference between vinyl LPs and CDs, converting between digital and analog audio, objective measurements versus subjective listening, consumer preference tests, how to enjoy vinyl LPs without spending a fortune, his own reference system, answers to chat-room questions, and more.

Run Time: 56:01

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Audio Video News
Wrap Up: E3 2012
Timothy J. Seppala  |  Jun 13, 2012

The dust has settled, E3 is over, and I have a notebook of nigh indecipherable scratches and scribbles left over from my week in LA. Covering E3 as one person and seeing everything is impossible, but I was able to check out a lot of very cool stuff.

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Tech2
Dolby Theater Debuts With Dolby Atmos Demo
Brent Butterworth  |  Jun 13, 2012

If what I heard today is any indication, Kodak’s decline may be Hollywood’s gain. When Kodak dropped the naming rights to the famous theater used to host the Academy Awards, Dolby picked them up — and gave the theater a first-class technical makeover.

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Audio Video News
Coming Attractions
HT Staff  |  Jun 12, 2012
A wireless HDMI kit can be helpful for getting the signal from a cable box or AVR situated in a cabinet, or just across the room, to your primary display or a second TV in another area. IOGear’s entry has two switchable HDMI inputs that pass up to 1080p and 3D video, along with 5.1 digital audio through walls or other solid objects. Range is said to be up to 100 feet in ideal conditions.
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Headphone Reviews
Review: V-MODA VAMP Portable iPhone DAC and Headphone Amp
Michael Berk  |  Jun 12, 2012

The look of V-Moda gear may be a little Versace for some mild-mannered audiophiles, but make no mistake: Val Kolton knows a thing or two about good sound, and beneath the flashy exteriors of his gear you'll find thoughtful engineering, well-conceived ergonomics, and impressive sound quality.

So when Kolton told us he had a portable source device in the works, were we excited? You bet.

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Premiere Design
Dolby Atmos Demo
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jun 11, 2012
This morning, I attended a press preview of the newly renamed Dolby Theater at the Hollywood and Highland complex in Hollywood, California. The official unveiling of the venue's new signage will take place this evening amid throngs of people—an extravaganza not unlike the Academy Awards ceremony that makes its home there—so I was glad to get a sneak peek beforehand.
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