LATEST ADDITIONS

Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The Fisher King
Josef Krebs  |  Sep 25, 2015
Picture
Sound
Extras
In this witty and pithy examination of modern New York living circa 1991, director Terry Gilliam posits the absolute necessity to abandon cynicism in order to believe in something and someone. Jeff Bridges is wonderfully arrogant and nasty as stretch-limo-riding radio shock-jock, Jack, who accidentally provokes a desperate caller into entering a restaurant and slaughtering its yuppie patrons. Jack bails on his life, climbing into a bottle of whiskey and a chasm of sarcasm, self-loathing, and self-pity. Parry (another wonderfully manic Robin Williams performance), still traumatized by having seen his beloved blown away in the massacre, has gotten out of a mental institution only to become a crazed homeless person. After a chance meeting, Jack is drawn by his guilt to help Parry on a quest to steal the Holy Grail in the hope of healing both their damaged souls.
Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
Movies to Watch on Netflix (Before They Expire)
SV Staff  |  Sep 25, 2015
Courtesy of Wired, here are a few movies to watch on Netflix over the weekend before they expire early next week.

Continue Reading »
Audio Video NewsNew Products
Sony Announces Hi-Res Audio Gear for the Car
SV Staff  |  Sep 25, 2015
Sony announced plans to introduce a lineup of Hi-Res car audio products in time for the holidays.

Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
Paradigm to Debut Concept Speaker in North America
SV Staff  |  Sep 25, 2015
The striking Concept 4F speaker Paradigm has shown in Europe and Asia is making its North American debut on October 1 at the Music Matters event in Chesterfield, Missouri.
Continue Reading »
Audio Video NewsNew Products
McIntosh Intros Reference Grade Stereo Preamps
SV Staff  |  Sep 24, 2015
McIntosh has introduced three retro-styled, reference grade preamplifiers, including a dual-chassis tube model said to have the lowest noise of any McIntosh preamp ever produced.

Continue Reading »
Subwoofer Reviews
Sunfire XTEQ10 Subwoofer Review
David Vaughn  |  Sep 24, 2015
Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $1,750

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Small form factor is décor friendly
Satisfying bass response
Minus
Can’t deliver the sonic impact of a bigger sub
Better values can be found in the market

THE VERDICT
Given the Sunfire’s dainty size, I didn’t expect much, but it delivers in spades with music and should be adequate with movies for many listeners.

My name is David Vaughn, and I’m a bass-a-holic. There isn’t a 12-step program to cure me of this disease—and even if there were, I’d avoid the treatment like the plague. There’s nothing like feeling the thump in your chest when an explosion rocks the room in the latest Hollywood blockbuster or hearing the windows rattle to some classic rap from the early 1990s. (Hell, who would have ever thought that “classic” and “rap” would go together in the same sentence?)

Continue Reading »
Audio Video NewsNew Products
Terk Aids Cord-Cutters with New HDTV Antennas
SV Staff  |  Sep 24, 2015
Terk, the 30-year-old brand specializing in radio and TV antennas, has introduced two amplified indoor HDTV antennas aimed at cord cutters.

Continue Reading »
SmartStream
New Amazon Fire TV Lineup Has 4K, Gaming, More
Barb Gonzalez  |  Sep 23, 2015
The next generation of Fire TVs is coming in October along with updates on the existing models. Amazon is upping the ante with great new features and capabilities.
Continue Reading »
Ask S&V
Why Would I Pay $300-Plus for a Blu-ray Player?
Al Griffin  |  Sep 23, 2015
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I am looking for a new Blu-ray player and have a question. What’s the difference between inexpensive models and ones that cost $300-plus? It seems to me that inexpensive models have as many features, if not more, than pricey ones. If it’s a question processing power or something else, does that make a huge difference in picture and sound quality? —Edwin Vela

Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
Soundbars Are for Music Too
Mark Fleischmann  |  Sep 23, 2015
Once a soundbar is mounted on the wall below the TV, a lot of folks are tempted to use it for music. An NPD Group survey found that 55 percent of soundbar owners use it for such things as podcasts and radio (though probably not vinyl). That makes sense, since more than 80 percent of bars have Bluetooth capability to communicate with mobile devices. Among 18-to-34-year-olds, 66 percent use the bar for music. As soundbars wax, other product categories wane. Forty-five percent of soundbar owners retired a home theater in a box system and 35 percent retired an A/V receiver.

Pages

X