LATEST ADDITIONS

Kris Deering  |  May 03, 2012

Lumagen Radiance Series
Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value


DVDO iScan Duo
Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
Price: Lumagen Radiance Series: $1,995-$4,995; DVDO iScan Duo $1,299 At A Glance: Lumagen: Fully supports 2D/3D processing • Delivers staggering customization and features set • DVDO: Great value with lots of connectivity

When I got started in this great hobby of ours, video processors were pretty much reserved for the higher-end theaters I only dreamed of. We didn’t have pristine 1080p24 sources to feed our displays; we had stuff like VHS and Laserdisc. Displays weren’t nearly as consistent, either. Projectors were mainly for the ultrarich and required brute strength to install. Beyond that, it took considerable work to get them looking right. Calibration was anything but easy. Expensive outboard video processors were also a necessity for these beasts to wring the most out of our then-limited video options.

Now we’re living the video dream. Some may scoff or say otherwise, but they probably haven’t been around as long as I have. These days, even low-end projectors outperform the majority of the reference designs back in the day. Sources are of a much higher quality, and new prerecorded formats are progressive by design and require very little, if any, tinkering. Sure, we have some DVDs lingering around that still need to be deinterlaced, but the proliferation of high-end video-processing chips into TVs, Blu-ray players, and even A/V receivers has made it easier than ever to get solid deinterlacing and scaling in a relatively cheap platform.

Michael Berk  |  May 03, 2012

British loudspeaker firm KEF's been putting out quality designs for 50 years now, and they're showing no signs of slowing down.

Scott Wilkinson  |  May 02, 2012
I have an Onkyo TX-SR805 A/V receiver driving Paradigm Monitor 11s (front L/R), CC-390 (center), Mini monitors (surround L/R), and PW-2100 powered sub. I found a page on the Audyssey website that recommends setting the speakers to "small" after running the auto setup and letting the sub do the so-called heavy lifting. But the Paradigm dealer and everyone I have ever talked to about this says you should always set the speakers to "large" regardless of their actual size/low-frequency response.

What do you think about setting full-range speakers to small as Audyssey recommends? The SR805 does not have a "Large/Small" setting; it lets you specify each speaker as "full-range" or set a crossover frequency between 40 and 200Hz. Where should I set the crossover for the speakers? If the speaker cutoff is (for example) 80Hz, should the sub lowpass be set to the same frequency? If I set the Monitor 11s to 80Hz, does that mean information below 80 Hz will be sent to the sub? Does the amp still send full power to the speaker even though it is set to small?

Kevin Hoeft

Kris Deering  |  May 02, 2012

2D Performance
3D Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
Price: $3,500 At A Glance: Class-leading black levels • Outstanding pixel sharpness • 3D performance lacking

Last May, I had the pleasure of reviewing the first 3D projector offered from JVC, the DLA-X3. At just under $4,500, it represented an amazing balance of value and performance. This year, JVC has made some radical changes to its projection line, including two new projectors with its e-Shift 4K upscaling feature. Replacing last year’s DLA-X3 is the DLA-X30, which adds lens memory to the package along with some new 3D options. But the biggest news is that JVC has lowered the price by almost 25 percent. So does last year’s amazing value become this year’s doorbuster? Let’s find out.

Geoffrey Morrison  |  May 02, 2012

The ability of a display to upconvert standard definition content (like a DVD, or many cable/satellite channels) was once a key component of its overall performance.

But now, most TVs do a reasonable job, and more important, I don’t think most people actually have any SD content.

Should we bother to continue testing it?

Scott Wilkinson  |  May 01, 2012
Steve Guttenberg, a regular contributor to Home Theater and Stereophile as well as the author of the Audiophiliac blog on cnet.com, questions the validity of blind ABX testing and the value of objective audio measurements, especially as a predictive factor for user preferences and an indicator of how a device will sound in various real-world environments. He also talks about the differences between audio and video gear—for example, how many people seek out old audio products but not old video displays—answers to chat-room questions, and more.

Run Time: 1:06:32

Mark Fleischmann  |  May 01, 2012
Audio Performance
Video Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
Price: $1,100 At A Glance: Discrete amplifier circuitry, 125-watt channels • CI customintegrator features • Full Apple and Audyssey suites

Denon has long been among the most nimble of the major manufacturers of audio/video receivers. If a feature of any significance raises its head above the parapet, Denon nails it faster than just about anyone—and often spreads it among many models. You might quibble over the value of, say, the company’s quick and near-universal inclusion of multiple height-channel surround enhancements. But as one of Denon’s CI-series models, the AVR-3312CI also has a substantial array of features designed to make life easier for custom integrators and their clients. It sure doesn’t hurt that the receiver is Apple-hip.

Mike Mettler  |  May 01, 2012

Sound+Vision is honored to present an exclusive 10-minute interview clip with Storm Corrosion, the explosive new collaboration between Opeth's Mikael Åkerfeldt and Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson. SC's self-titled debut comes out next Tuesday, May 8, in a variety of S+V-friendly formats.

Michael Berk  |  May 01, 2012

Everybody wants better sound out of their headphones, but (and here's a shocker, I know) not everyone wants to own a lot of hardware to make that happen, especially if you want to take your show on the road every now and then. Whether budget-tightening precludes your investing in a portable listening rig to supplement your home setup or you're just a minimalist, you might just be in luck. Low-cost audio gear leaders FiiO and Alpha Design Labs (the personal audio wing of high-end connector kings Furutech) have each introduced some impressive do-it-all devices that just might cover all of your digital listening needs.

Jon Iverson  |  May 01, 2012
Register to win a pair of Definitive Technology StudioMonitor 55 loudspeakers (MSRP $599) we are giving away.

According to Definitive Technology, the StudioMonitor 55 high definition bookshelf loudspeakers feature patented second generation Balanced Double Surround System driver, racetrack bass radiator and Aluminum dome tweeter in a solidly built attractive enclosure.

[This sweepstakes is now closed.]

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