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Do You Wear Earplugs in Loud Environments?
Scott Wilkinson  |  Feb 10, 2012
Today's "Ask Home Theater" question regards hearing protection and earplugs. Which leads me to ask, do you wear earplugs in loud environments, such as rock concerts and loud movies? If so, do you wear custom-molded or universal plugs? If not, why not? Let us know in the comments.

Vote to see the results and leave a comment about your choice.

Do You Wear Earplugs in Loud Environments?
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Ask S&V
Hearing Protection
Scott Wilkinson  |  Feb 10, 2012
I'm a listener from Lima, Peru, and I love your podcast. In episode 71, you said that you use hearing protection when you go to the movies or concerts. What do you use, specifically? I am very concerned about protecting my hearing, as I have a relatively low tolerance to loud sounds, compared to other people. I tend to cringe and almost feel pain when I'm in loud environments, more than anybody else. But I like music, so I bought a pair of in-ear monitors (Etymotic ER4s) some years ago. I like the isolation so much that I sometimes leave them in my ears with no music, just to hear nothing.

I recently ordered a pair of ER20 "high fidelity plugs" from Etymotic, a universal-fit, low-cost option ($12.95) that the company claims to reduce sound by approximately 20dB in all frequencies. Have you ever tried them? I have also ordered a pair of custom-fit sleeves for my ER4s from ACS Custom. (When I was in the US, I went to an audiologist for my ear-canal impressions.) Because I had my impressions taken, I can also order a pair of custom-fit plugs with filters. However, they are more expensive ($185). Do you recommend the custom-fit ones?

Marcos Murayama

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Tech2
Tales from Customer Service: Buy it and Shut the Hell Up
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Feb 10, 2012

Whether it's at a restaurant, buying a TV, or getting a used Blu-ray from Amazon, we all want good customer service. At the very least, we want a pleasant experience.

What's interesting is that while some companies are striving to make you feel warm and fuzzy, others couldn't care less.

The difference is incentives.

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Ask S&V
AVR and Speakers for under $1500
Scott Wilkinson  |  Feb 08, 2012
I am considering buying a Denon AVR-2112CI receiver with Bose Acoustimass 10 speakers. I chose Bose because I have a small living room (15x20 feet). I have a 46-inch Sony LCD TV, and the space to put a 5.1 speaker system is 2.5x5 feet. I've been saving for a year and cannot decide whether I should buy Bose.

I recently came across your site and found your Top Picks for A/V receivers and compact speakers. In particular, I was interested in the Pioneer VSX-1021 AVR and the Cambridge Audio Minx S215 or Definitive ProCinema 600 speaker systems because they are smaller than the Pioneer SP-BS41-LR system.

I hope you can advise me on which receiver and speaker system to get. My budget is between $1000 and $1500.

Emmanuel

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Headphone Reviews
Review: HiFiMan HE-400 and HE-500 Headphones
Brent Butterworth  |  Feb 08, 2012

Ask any group of audiophiles what kind of speakers they have, and I guarantee you at least one and probably several will answer “Magnepan.” Why do audiophiles so love this relatively obscure brand? No, not (just) because it’s obscure. They love Magnepans because of the incredible detail, soundstaging, and natural timbre of their planar magnetic drivers. For the same reason, headphone enthusiasts are embracing planar magnetic headphones.

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Music ReviewsBlu-ray Movie Reviews
This Week in Blu-rays and Music, Feb. 7, 2012
Ken Korman  |  Feb 07, 2012

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Music Reviews
The S+V Interview: Van Halen’s David Lee Roth
Mike Mettler  |  Feb 07, 2012

In honor of today’s release of A Different Kind of Truth, the first album from Van Halen with David Lee Roth as lead vocalist since 1984, we’re proud to present an interview I did with the inimitable Mr. Roth back in 2003. Our chat was ostensibly centered around his covers-oriented solo album Diamond Dave, but we quickly went into, well, a different universe. “As far as learning the alphabet of music goes,” opined the ever-quotable Dave, “I always tell young musicians, ‘Last I looked, the Bible was written in the exact same alphabet as my favorite pornography. So I guess the choice is yours, son.’” As the song says, might as well jump. . .

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Home Theater Geeks Podcast
Podcast 98: Sean Olive
Scott Wilkinson  |  Feb 07, 2012
Sean Olive, director of acoustic research at Harman International, talks about the importance of training listeners to evaluate sound systems, Harman's "How to Listen" training program that's available for free online, blind vs. sighted listening tests, Harman's Multichannel Listening Lab, the lack of meaningful speaker specifications, subjective vs. objective evaluation of room-correction systems, research into sound-quality preferences of high school and college students, answers to chat-room questions, and more.

Run Time: 45:57

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Projector Reviews3D Projector Reviews
Optoma HD33 3D DLP Projector
Scott Wilkinson  |  Feb 07, 2012
2D Performance
3D Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
Price: $1,499 At A Glance: Among least expensive 3D projectors • Good detail and color • High black level in 2D, low brightness in 3D • No lens shift

Like it or not, 3D compatibility is becoming nearly ubiquitous in midrange to high-end flat panels and projectors. But what about those who are looking for an entry-level projector with 3D? Are they out of luck? Not according to Optoma, whose HD33 DLP projector sells for less than $1,500, making it one of the least expensive 1080p 3D projectors on the market.

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TV ReviewsLCD TV Reviews
Toshiba 55TL515U 3D LCD HDTV
Thomas J. Norton  |  Feb 07, 2012
2D Performance
3D Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
Price: $1,800 At A Glance: Crisp resolution • Bright 3D • So-so black level • Poor screen uniformity

The last three flat-panel HDTVs reviewed in these pages averaged over $4,000 each—a figure inflated, to be sure, by one of them costing $6,000. Statement products tell us what’s possible and where the technology is going. Most Home Theater readers want to know these things.

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