LATEST ADDITIONS

The Connected Life
The State of Immersive Audio
John Sciacca  |  Dec 23, 2015
As we get ready to head into the new year, 3D "immersive audio" is the driving force behind home theater. A rundown of where things stand with the three competing formats: Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and Auro-3D.
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HDTV Buying TipsHDTV Tech
The New TV Tech: What You Need to Know
Al Griffin  |  Dec 22, 2015
TV shopping has become vastly more complicated over the past decade. Buyer confusion used to revolve around issues of 720p versus 1080p, LCD versus plasma, edge-lit versus full-array, 3D or not 3D, and “What’s a smart TV?” All manageable problems, in retrospect.
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Headphone Reviews
Sennheiser RS 185 Headphone Review
Steve Guttenberg  |  Dec 22, 2015

Performance
Build Quality
Comfort
Value
PRICE $400

AT A GLANCE
Plus
New lossless wireless audio technology
Two-year warranty
Lightweight design
Minus
Wireless ’phones can’t play loud

THE VERDICT
The Sennheiser RS 185 raises the bar on audiophile-grade wireless headphone sound quality.

I’ve auditioned a number of wireless Sennheiser models over the years and was always satisfied with the sound. Sennheiser claims their latest ’phones are better than ever, and the RS 185 is the best sounding of the twelve wireless models the company currently offers. No other brand has as broad a range of wireless headphones, starting with the $99 Sennheiser RS 120.

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A/V Veteran
Have a Blu(-ray) Christmas: 8 Gifts Ideas
Thomas J. Norton  |  Dec 22, 2015
‘Tis the Season—for last minute, desperation shopping. But what could be easier than one or a few Blu-ray discs for that stocking by the fireplace. So here are a few recommendations...
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Audio Video News
Marantz to Offer DTS:X Upgrades in Early 2016
SV Staff  |  Dec 22, 2015
Marantz has announced that free DTS:X firmware updates for the SR7010 and SR6010 AV receivers and AV8802(A) and AV7702mkII surround processors will be available early next year.
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Audio Video News
LG to Update 2016 Smart TV Platform
SV Staff  |  Dec 22, 2015
LG has announced that its 2016 smart TV lineup will have an updated webOS 3.0 Smart TV platform designed to make it "simple and fast" to find and switch between content from broadcast TV, streaming services, and external devices.
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Signals
The Greatest Analog Audio Playback Machine Ever
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Dec 22, 2015
A couple of days ago, I was sitting in my home theater listening to some music—a recording of Beethoven’s 6th Symphony, actually—and it hit me: The symphony orchestra is the greatest analog audio playback machine ever invented.

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Audio Video News
Star Wars Shatters Box Office Records…and Raises a Question
SV Staff  |  Dec 21, 2015
If you saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens over the weekend, your hard-earned dollars contributed to an estimated domestic take of $238 million in its first there days, shattering the $208.8 million opening weekend record of set by Jurassic World in June. Add in foreign box office receipts—except China, where it has yet to open—and you’re at a half billion ($517 million), according to Box Office Mojo, which on a global basis is actually slightly less than Jurrasic’s opening.
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Grace Notes
4 Ways to Avoid the Nightmare After Christmas
Leslie Shapiro  |  Dec 21, 2015
Gone are the days of old, when all it took to prepare for Christmas morning was a warm batch of cinnamon rolls, hot coffee, and a spare pack of batteries. Even though more and more technology exists today to keep us connected, how easy is it to set up all these new gadgets come Christmas morning? Although the stockings are hung by the chimney with care, are you sure you’re really ready for Christmas?

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Tech2
Top 5 Gifts We Want to Give (if only we knew who to give them to)
Lauren Dragan,  |  Dec 20, 2015
One of the fun parts of this job is that we get to check out all sorts of weird and wonderful gear. Most of the time, things that seem crazy, are crazy. But every so often, something crazy is actually crazy good. These are the things that fit into that latter category.

So here are the top gifts we’d love to give this holiday season… if we only knew someone who we could give them to.

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