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Unconventional Subwoofer Configuration
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jun 27, 2012
I have a Marantz SR6004 A/V receiver with a 5.1 speaker system, including Focal Chorus 826 V speakers for the front left and right, Chorus CC 800 V for the center channel, Chorus 806 V speakers for the surrounds, and Chorus SW 800 V subwoofer. In the receiver, I set the front left and right as Large and the others as Small. I set the subwoofer output to Off and use the receiver's Speaker C function to drive the sub's high-level inputs from the receiver's surround-back speaker outputs with the sub's internal crossover set to 60Hz. This configuration produces a very nice sound; I feel that the bass is more structured and integrated than when I use the crossover in the receiver. My question is, does the receiver lose power in this configuration?

Santiago Blint

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Custom Installation How-ToHome Movie Theaters
Sunny Disposition
Jamie Sorcher  |  Jun 27, 2012
Photos Detlev Von Kessel

A cinema under the sky can be an amazing home theater option. It turned out to be just the ticket for this Florida family who lives in sunny Sarasota and spends a lot of time outdoors. The backyard entertainment area with its swim-up theater is so well-engineered that, at first glance, it’s impossible to guess what went on behind the scenes to make it all happen.

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The S&V Interview
The S+V Interview: Kevin Bruner on the Tech Behind Walking Dead
Timothy J. Seppala  |  Jun 27, 2012

Adding color to the Walking Dead universe was a gamble, but Telltale Games nailed it.

At E3 this year I had a chance to preview the latest episode in the series (out today for Xbox 360, PC, and PS3 Friday) and pick the brain of Telltale's Founder and Chief Technology Officer Kevin Bruner.

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Tech2
Tribute to a Theater
Brent Butterworth  |  Jun 27, 2012

Music sales aren't the only part of the music biz that's hurting these days. With recent cutbacks in government funding for the arts-not just in the U.S. but all around the world-some great performance spaces are having major problems paying the bills. One is La Fenice, the famous Venice opera house that dates back to 1792.

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Bluetooth Speaker ReviewsWireless Multiroom Speaker Reviews
NAD VISO 1 Wireless Music system
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jun 26, 2012
Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
Price: $600 At a Glance: 2.1 independently amped channels • Bluetooth and dock connectivity • Tweaked by Paul Barton

The NAD VISO 1 was an immediate hit in my household from the moment it was uncrated. Between my roommate and myself, it received Bluetooth input from an iPad 2, iPhone 4, and iPod touch 2G. The dock played host to two iPod nano 6Gs and two nano 2Gs in addition to the nano 5G actually used for formal demos. Though not portable in the strictest sense—it won’t slip easily into a briefcase or carry-on—the system was still movable, and eager hands shifted it from living room to bedroom to kitchen. It was pressed into service to provide music for ballet exercises, cooking, reading, and bedtime listening.

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Home Theater Geeks Podcast
Podcast 117: Geoff Tully
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jun 26, 2012
Geoff Tully, Technology Development Director at THX, explains THX Media Director, a new technology that embeds metadata into audio/video content about how that content was created and how it should be reproduced, including the correct settings in compatible Blu-ray players, A/V receivers, TVs, etc. He also reveals which companies are working on implementing Media Director, answers chat-room questions, and more.

Run Time: 1:02:21

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Other TechSmartStream
How to Create the Perfect Pandora Station
Barb Gonzalez  |  Jun 26, 2012
If you’re in search of the perfect music station, with a little dedication and patience, you can customize Pandora. For the uninitiated, Pandora is a free online music-streaming service. Unlike other “free” online music services, it can be streamed to smartphones, tablets, TVs, media-streaming devices, and more without a premium subscription fee.
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Vintage Gear
Linn Sondek LP12 Turntable
Steve Guttenberg  |  Jun 26, 2012
The Linn Sondek LP12 was arguably the first modern high-end turntable, with a belt-drive design that was a game changer in the 1970s and 1980s.
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Music ReviewsBlu-ray Movie Reviews
This Week in Blu-rays and Music, June 26, 2012
Ken Korman  |  Jun 26, 2012

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Audio Video News
Panasonic & Sony to Collaborate on OLED TVs
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jun 25, 2012
In a surprising move, Japanese competitors Panasonic and Sony announced in a press release today that they have signed an agreement to collaborate on the development of OLED (organic light-emitting diode) panels for TVs and other large-size displays. The companies intend to establish mass-production technology during 2013 by integrating their individual strengths to improve the efficiency of development.
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