LATEST ADDITIONS

Signals
The Next Big Thing
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Oct 21, 2013
Their future seemed so very bright. The SACD format, with a bit rate four times that of CD, was designed to lead the CD to new heights. DVD-Audio, sibling of the wildly successful DVD-Video format, offered audiophile fantasy surround at 96 kilohertz/24 bit. Hard on the heels of Avatar, 3DTV promised to change TV viewing forever.
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SmartStream
A Google TV by Any Other Name
Barb Gonzalez  |  Oct 17, 2013
Rumor has it that Google is about to change Google TV's name to "Android TV." What do we know for sure?
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Headphone ReviewsTech2
RHA MA750i Headphones
Lauren Dragan  |  Oct 17, 2013
Let me start by saying, I know headphones. I have reviewed a lot, I own a lot, and my ears have endured a lot. Generally speaking, function comes before form in my recommendations. Do they sound good? Are they comfortable? How much do they cost?

Only after these questions are positively answered do I then I allow myself to get excited over how pretty they are. Rarely am I able to reach that glorious final stage. To be frank: most tech that focuses on form ends up lacking in function (I’m looking at you, Beats). But every once in a while, my inner geek gets her day, and today it’s thanks to the British company RHA’s 750i. Now, knowing the substance is there, just look at them. Sigh...Sexy, no?

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Ask S&V
What the FLAC? Wi-Fi Streaming vs. USB
Al Griffin  |  Oct 17, 2013
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com.

Q I have a question about streaming audio from my PC to an A/V system located in another room. I want to be able to stream my vast collection of FLAC audio files along with Internet radio to an Integra DTR 5.9 A/V receiver. Running an Ethernet cable wouldn’t be my first choice; I have a strong Wi-Fi signal throughout the entire house and would like to use that instead for streaming. I've looked at the Sonos and Nuvo systems and the WD TV Live box. Each of these options seems to have good and bad points. But I’ve also thought about buying an inexpensive laptop and connecting it to my A/V system with a portable USB DAC. Can you recommend a solution? —John Hanlon / Encinitas, CA

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Blu-ray Movie ReviewsThis Week
This Week in Movies & TV, October 15, 2013: Aliens, Intruders, & Strangers
Josef Krebs  |  Oct 16, 2013
Reviewed on Blu-ray: Pacific Rim, The Haunting, High Plains Drifter, Eyes Without a Face, Notting Hill & Love Actually, The Stranger.
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Surround Sound System ReviewsSubwoofer ReviewsTower Speaker Reviews
Paradigm Monitor 11 Speaker System
Tom Norton  |  Oct 16, 2013

Monitor 11 Speaker System
Performance
Build Quality
Value

Monitor SUB 12 Subwoofer
Performance
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $3,895 (updated 3/10/15)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Crisp, powerful bass
Superior speaker-to-speaker timbre match
Excellent value
Minus
Slightly tipped-up highs

THE VERDICT
An immensely satisfying speaker system with both music and movies.

Canadian speaker manufacturer Paradigm makes a bewildering variety of loudspeakers. Its offerings top out at around $9,000 for a two-channel pair of Signature S8s—remarkably sensible considering the recent and alarming inflation in high-end audio prices. But while the speakers that make up the Paradigm’s Monitor Series 7, latest version of the company’s long-lived, bread-and-butter line, are far less expensive, they’re anything but an afterthought.

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Vote
SV Poll: Do You Own a Soundbar?
SV Staff  |  Oct 16, 2013
Soundbars are one of the top selling categories in consumer electronics today. People love them for a variety of reasons but simplicity and reasonable cost are cited most often. We want to know what you think about soundbars so take our poll and expound on your vote in the Comments section.
SV Poll: Do You Own a Soundbar?
Yes. It’s a perfect low-clutter solution for my bedroom (or other secondary space).
18% (122 votes)
Yes. I use one in my primary home entertainment space because I don’t have room for multiple speakers.
12% (83 votes)
Yes. I use one in my primary home entertainment space because my spouse won’t let me set up a system with multiple speakers.
5% (33 votes)
No, but I bought one as a gift for my parents/grandparents (or other friend or relative) because it’s easy to set up and use.
6% (40 votes)
No. I love my 5/7.1 home theater setup and would never even consider a soundbar for my main setup.
50% (337 votes)
No. I would never buy a soundbar for myself or anyone else; I don't think they should have a place in the A/V world.
9% (59 votes)
Total votes: 674
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Music ReviewsThis Week
This Week in Music, October 15, 2013: Something “New” from Paul McCartney
Ken Richardson  |  Oct 15, 2013
Also reviewed: Pearl Jam. And in revue: many more new releases, as well as classic XTC in 5.1.

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SignalsAudio Video News
Alas, Poor Plasma! We Viewed Him, Horatio
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Oct 15, 2013
A screen of infinite beauty, of most excellent fancy. He hath shone on me a thousand times. And now, how abhorred he is. Where be your hues now? Your wider viewing angle? Your deeper blacks? Your brightness that was wont to set the room on a roar? Now get you to my lady’s chamber, and let her paint a screen an inch thick. Make her look at that.

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A/V Veteran
Post-CEDIA Thoughts
Thomas J. Norton  |  Oct 14, 2013
CEDIA began its annual event in 1989. At that time it was launched in a modest venue full of table-top exhibits and educational seminars, with a strong emphasis on the latter. This was appropriate, as we all had a lot to learn about home theater.

I’ve been attending CEDIA since 1994, when then Stereophile publisher Larry Archibald decided it was time to begin a new publication dedicated to the burgeoning home theater business—the Stereophile Guide to Home Theater. But even in the first year or two I attended, accompanied by Archibald, the Guide’s founding editor, Lawrence B. Johnson, and the requisite marketing crew, you could cover all of the exhibits in a couple of hours.

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