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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Nebraska
Anthony Chiarella  |  Aug 27, 2014
“Toto… We’re Not in Montana Anymore!”

Picture
Sound
Extras
We’ve all received “You’ve Won a Million Dollars” junk mail, and some of us have even responded, but naïve old Woody Grant (Bruce Dern) actually drags his son David (Will Forte) on a thousand-mile road trip from Billings, Montana, to Prize Headquarters in Lincoln, Nebraska, to claim his cash. By the time they arrive, David has come to understand and appreciate the father he’d only known as a tight-lipped alcoholic. Dern’s filigreed interpretation of Woody—the crowning achievement of a brilliant career—slowly allows the kindness, complexity, and depth of his seemingly two-dimensional character to unfold. In this, he is aided by a meticulously chosen ensemble cast who bring humor and heartache to a screenplay whose dry, deadpan dialogue is relentlessly hilarious.
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Audio Video News
LG Taking Preorders for 4K OLED TV in Korea
SV Staff  |  Aug 26, 2014
LG announced yesterday that it will begin taking preorders this week in Korea for the first OLED TV with 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution.
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Vote
Is Your Home Theater Configured with Height Channels?
SV Staff  |  Aug 25, 2014
While we await the arrival of the new Dolby Atmos surround format we wondered how many Sound & Vision readers' home theaters are set up for surround processing that derives height channels to enhance spatiality. Make a choice below and tell us about your experience in Comments.
Is Your Home Theater Configured with Height Channels?
Yes, I use them with Dolby Pro Logic IIz.
7% (63 votes)
Yes, I use them with DTS Neo:X.
5% (45 votes)
Yes, I use them with Audyssey DSX.
4% (42 votes)
Yes, my Yamaha receiver is set up with “presence” channels for Cinema DSP HD3.
6% (54 votes)
Yes, I use them with surround processing not listed above. (Tell us which one in Comments.)
1% (11 votes)
No, I have a conventional 5.1/7.1/etc. surround-sound configuration.
78% (745 votes)
Total votes: 960
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Headphone ReviewsGrace Notes
Beats by Dre: Powerbeats2
Leslie Shapiro  |  Aug 25, 2014
Look around you - wires are so passé. If you’re in the gym and your earphones are connected to your phone or iPod, you might as well trade in your Crossfit membership for a circa-1989 Step aerobics class. How can you complete your WOD with a tangle of wires getting in the way? The new Powerbeats2 in-ear earphone from Beats By Dr. Dre is Bluetooth 4.0 compatible, and other than the snag-free wire connecting the left and right side, it’s completely wireless. You couldn’t connect it to your iPhone with a wire even if you wanted to - plus and negatives to that situation to follow.

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Soundbar Reviews
Paradigm Soundscape Soundbar
Daniel Kumin  |  Aug 22, 2014

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $1,500

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Impressive tonal balance
Unusually good dynamics and bass extension
Wired/wireless subwoofer hookups
Minus
Difficult-to-read display
Obscure menu structure
Modest “surround” effectiveness
No subwoofer supplied
Pricey

THE VERDICT
It’s priced among the most expensive soundbars and comes without a supplied sub. But if you value dynamics, bass extension, and overall sound quality first, you’ll be well rewarded.

The soundbar proposition is easy to understand: Plunk down some cash, open up one box, and you’ve got home theater, without the bulky speakers, messy wires, and painful expense. It’s all good, right?

You and I know better, of course— but just how close can you come?

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Tech2
Will 3D Printing Be the Custom In-Ear Monitor Game Changer?
Lauren Dragan  |  Aug 22, 2014
Rock stars, producers, and the audio elite have long been the target demographic for the custom in-ear monitor. Personalized, individually crafted, and generally prohibitively expensive, purchasing a set has often been out of reach for most audio hobbyists. But now two companies, Normal and OwnPhones are looking to cater to the custom-curious with affordable 3D printed in-ear headphones. Will the advent of of the printed earbud change in-ear headphones for good?

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3D Blu-ray Movie ReviewsBlu-ray Movie Reviews
I, Frankenstein
Corey Gunnestad  |  Aug 21, 2014
Picture
3D-ness
Sound
Extras
It’s been nearly 200 years since Mary Shelley and her poet friends got together in a mansion in Lake Geneva and challenged each other to write the best ghost story. The fruits of those labors wrought a significantly chilling parable about a mad scientist who foolishly reanimates a deceased man stitched together with spare body parts from other corpses. At a time when science was exploring new territories and pushing boundaries, Frankenstein was conceived as a terrifying morality tale about the dangers of playing God. Rumor has it Shelley dreamt up her classic gothic horror tale in the midst of a whirlwind binge of hedonistic orgies and hallucinogenic substances. Think Jane Austen meets The Wolf of Wall Street.
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Ask S&V
My System Sounds Amazing. What's Wrong With It?
Al Griffin  |  Aug 21, 2014
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I recently bought new Magnepan speakers. I’m using them with a Pioneer SC-07 reciever. I am amazed by the sound, I but have been told that my Magnepans would really come alive with more power. Am I missing out? The sound is great compared with what I heard from my previous system. I've also been told that a tube amp would really make my Magnepans sing. Is that the case? And what kind of budget would I need to get something better than what I currently have? —Terry T.

A I’m going to dispense with my usual AV advisor role for this question and instead act as your therapist. Do you find it difficult to appreciate good things in life? To live in the moment? Because what I’m detecting here are distinct signs of Audiophilia Nervosa.

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SmartStream
Roku TV Goes Beyond Adding a Stick to Your TV
Barb Gonzalez  |  Aug 20, 2014
TV manufacturers are getting ready to release a new Smart TV powered by the Roku platform. And they promise it goes well beyond adding Roku Stick to a TV.
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Audio Video News
It Was 50 Years Ago Today... Exclusive Sneak Peek at "The Beatles in Mono"
SV Staff  |  Aug 20, 2014
Ready to go back to mono—with The Beatles? An exclusive sneak peak at Pete Nash unboxing "The Beatles in Mono" vinyl box set, courtesy of Capitol/UMe and Apple Corps Ltd. The video goes live on The Beatles’ YouTube channel Friday.
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