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Power Amplifier ReviewsSurround Processor Reviews
Integra DHC-80.3 Surround Processor and DTA-70.1 Amplifier
Kris Deering  |  Dec 29, 2011

DHC-80.3 Surround Processor
Audio Performance
Video Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
 
DTA-70.1 Amplifier
Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
Price: $4,400 At A Glance: 4K scaling • Reference-quality video processing • Audyssey MultEQ XT32 ups the ante for room EQ • Nine channels of THX Ultra2 amplification

I don’t know what’s more impressive, the fact that Integra can produce a new state-of-the-art surround processor each year, or that the company can find new audio/video processing modes to add to its already ridiculous list of features. The Integra DHC-80.3 is the latest home run from Integra, with some of the most future-proofing features the company’s delivered yet. I can’t imagine adding much more to a surround processor, but I’m sure Integra will pull some new surprises out of the bag next year.

I’ve reviewed several of the past incarnations of Integra’s A/V processor, but this time up, Integra also sent out its nine-channel THX Ultra2–certified amp, the DTA-70.1. This monster delivers 150 watts per channel and sports balanced inputs and a gorgeous solid-aluminum front panel that matches the DHC-80.3 perfectly.

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Curtain Call
Do This, Don’t Do That, Can’t You Read the Manual?
Michael J. Nelson  |  Dec 29, 2011
Several months back, I wrote about the shock and shame of encountering a new piece of home theater gear so complex that I was for the first time forced to remove the manual from its plastic bag and, worse, actually read it. Now, in a twist perhaps more ironic than that of Alanis Morissette discovering a black fly in her chardonnay, I find I must actually write a manual.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Blu-ray Review: Ben-Hur
Marc Horowitz  |  Dec 29, 2011

Like all seminal works, 1959’s Ben-Hur elicits some strong opinions. Is it one of the best films ever made? Or is it simply an overhyped sword-and-sandals flick? And how does it compare with the likes of Lawrence of Arabia, Quo Vadis, Spartacus, or even the Lord of the Rings trilogy?

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Music Reviews
Bonus Tracks for 2011: Grand Funk Railroad
Brett Milano  |  Dec 29, 2011

Editor’s Note: Brett Milano originally submitted this for one of his “This Week in Music” columns, but the CD’s release date was bumped . . . and bumped . . . and bumped. We only just learned that the set finally appeared on December 16. Accordingly, we can’t let Brett’s write-up go to waste. So, just in time to be the soundtrack for your New Year’s Eve party . .

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Streaming Device Reviews
TiVo Premiere
Leslie Shapiro  |  Dec 29, 2011

As entertainment options become more and more plentiful, so do the variety of ways to access and enjoy them. Even without cable, the possibilities seem practically endless. Could there be one box that takes all these options and makes it simple, easy and fun to access it all?

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Soundbar Reviews
Review: Definitive Technology Mythos XTR-SSA3 Soundbar, XTR-20BP Surround Speaker, and Supercube 4000 Subwoofer
Brent Butterworth  |  Dec 28, 2011

“It looks like a car ran over it,” a visiting friend said. But I doubt Definitive Technology employed that technique in the creation of the Mythos XTR-SSA3 soundbar.

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TV ReviewsLCD TV Reviews
Review: Panasonic TC-L42D30 LCD HDTV
Al Griffin  |  Dec 28, 2011

Much of the R&D effort for Panasonic’s TVs gets funneled into plasma technology — with excellent results. (Check out the TC-P55VT30 in our Editors’ Choice Awards here.) But as we found out this time last year upon reviewing the company’s TC-L42D2, it also makes sets of the LCD persuasion. Quite a few of them, in fact.

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New ProductsStreaming Device ReviewsCustom Installation How-To
Review: Autonomic Controls MMS-2 Mirage Media Server
John Sciacca  |  Dec 28, 2011

Most new Blu-ray players are capable of streaming both movies and music, so why would you ever consider buying a dedicated music-streaming device? I mean, if you learned nothing else from your mother, you’re probably at least squared away on the concept of not buying the cow if you’re already getting the milk for free.

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AV Receiver Reviews
Review: Yamaha Aventage RX-A2010 A/V Receiver
Daniel Kumin  |  Dec 28, 2011

The company that makes most everything (and makes most everything it makes pretty damned well), Yamaha has been tuning up its forks, and the result seems to be ever more feature-packed, value-focused designs.

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3D Projector ReviewsProjector Reviews
Review: Optoma HD8300 3D HD Projector
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Dec 28, 2011

Optoma made a name for itself early on by making high-quality, low-cost DLP projectors. But with the HD8300, Optoma isn’t going after the budget end of the projector spectrum. Instead, the company is aiming right at its new heart: $5k-ish 3D.

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