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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Vizio Launches Budget TV Series
SV Staff  |  Dec 18, 2015
Vizio has introduced the D-Series of budget-oriented TVs at prices ranging from $150 for a 24-inch edge-lit LED/LCD model to $1,300 for a 70-inch smart TV with full-array LED backlighting.
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3D Blu-ray Movie ReviewsBlu-ray Movie Reviews
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Chris Chiarella  |  Dec 18, 2015
Picture
3D-ness
Sound
Extras
Sequels can be a tough nut. Age of Ultron is of course the follow-up to 2012’s The Avengers, but along the way, there were four other Marvel Universe movies that apparently need to be acknowledged here, coupled with the laborious task of tying in TV series and setting up movies yet to come. Throw in too many characters and some extraneous subplots, and the result is a sequel more exhausting than entertaining.
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Desktop Speaker Reviews
Serene Audio Talisman Desktop Speaker Review
Bob Ankosko  |  Dec 18, 2015

Performance
Features
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $395

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Striking design
Excellent build quality
Impressive sound
Subwoofer output (for gamers and bass hounds)
Minus
A remote control would be nice (for some applications)

THE VERDICT
The extraordinary Talisman speakers take desktop music to a new level.

The decision to feature Serene Audio’s Talisman in our Premiere Design section (November) was a no-brainer. We’ve seen lots of unusual speakers over the years but nothing quite like the squiggly lines of Sia Rezaei’s imaginative design. You might hate it, but I find it inspiring. And it’s a desktop speaker that’s only 8 inches tall. I don’t know about you, but I spend way too many hours pecking away in front of a computer, usually with Pandora playing in the background through a pair of cheap (no excuses, I know) computer speakers. The promise of great sound from visually striking desktop speakers appeals to me, so I asked Rezaei to send me a set of Talismans.

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Ask S&V
Can I Use Different Wireless Speakers With Sonos?
Al Griffin  |  Dec 17, 2015
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q Are different wireless speakers compatible with each other? I own several Sonos speakers, but have recently noticed more top-line speaker makers (e.g., Definitive Technology, Polk) starting to distribute their own. As I continue expanding my wireless hook-ups, I’m wondering if I'm locked-in to using just Sonos? —Stephen Romanelli

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Audio Video News
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2016 Inductees
SV Staff  |  Dec 17, 2015
The Rock and Roll Hall has announced its short list of 2016 inductees: Cheap Trick, Chicago, Deep Purple, N.W.A., and Steve Miller will be recognized at the 31st Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Friday, April 8, 2016.
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SmartStream
Sonos Gets Apple Music and Trueplay Tuning
Barb Gonzalez  |  Dec 17, 2015
With the Sonos Controller app's latest update, a public beta of Apple Music is now available for streaming to Sonos speakers. The update also adds Trueplay speaker tuning, which optimizes sound quality based on the acoustics of where a speaker is located.
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Audio Video News
Throwback Thursday: The Iconic Yamaha DSP-A1
SV Staff  |  Dec 17, 2015
Yamaha’s iconic DSP-A1 was named one of the year’s best products in the December 1998 issue of Stereo Review, predecessor to Sound & Vision.
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Audio Video News
A New Wrinkle for Public Wi-Fi
SV Staff  |  Dec 17, 2015
Technology truly is reaching all corners of our lives…and even beyond.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Sennheiser Updates Flagship HD 800 Headphone
SV Staff  |  Dec 17, 2015
Sennheiser announced plans to offer an updated version of its flagship HD 800 headphone in January.
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Desktop Speaker Reviews
Naim Mu-so Music System Review
Fred Manteghian  |  Dec 16, 2015

Performance
Features
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $1,499

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Powerful and dynamic
Faithfully reproduces acoustic instruments and vocals
Extremely well built
Minus
Expensive, to be sure

THE VERDICT
Unbelievable sound quality for a one-piece music system.

How proud are the English of the English? Pretty damn. It’s why Bentley chose Naim for their “in-cabin” sound systems. (They don’t even call it automotive sound. How cool is that?) I asked that an appropriately equipped Bentley be sent along for comparison to Naim’s one-piece Mu-so music system, but alas, no review samples were currently available (or so I was told). That’s OK, I’ll just sit in my easy chair and use a calf’s-leather-scented plug-in air freshener to re-create the ambiance while I listen to the Mu-so.

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