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TV ReviewsLCD TV Reviews
Sony KDL-55W900A 3D LCD HDTV
Thomas J. Norton  |  Jun 07, 2013

2D Performance
3D Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
Price: $3,300 At A Glance: Rich black level and good shadow detail • New color technology • Bright, punchy 3D

The new KDL-55W900A is Sony’s newest, top-of-the-line, non-XBR set. All of the XBRs, going forward, will be Ultra HD (4K) sets, but the KDL-55W900A, as all of the KDL designs, is firmly in the standard HD, 1920 x 1080 camp. It’s an edge-lit design with local dimming, but its marquee feature has nothing to do with contrast and black levels. Color is the plot here, and Triluminos, a term Sony has used in the past (see sidebar), promises a wider color gamut.

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Gadget Gary
For What It's Worth
Gary Dell'Abate  |  Jun 07, 2013

Yes, I readily admit it: I I am a TV junkie. I watch a ton of shows, and I go through  different phases of what I'll binge on.

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Ears On
In Defense of the AVR
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jun 07, 2013
Perhaps no product category is more misunderstood or maligned than the audio/video receiver. Within the home theater community, some deem it a deal breaker or bottleneck, despite its true status as the heart of a home theater system. Outside the home theater community, two-channel puritans regard the AVR as a morally flawed cluster of features that is inherently hostile to good sound. Won't anyone (aside from AVR manufacturers) speak up for a product that tries so hard to give the consumer so much?

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Premiere Design
Bowers & Wilkins and Maserati Quattroporte “Seven Notes”
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Jun 06, 2013

To celebrate their teaming up, B&W and Maserati enlisted the help of musician and producer Howie B to create the Seven Notes project. To celebrate that, they’re putting on a multi-city road show featuring live music, and a chance to check out the B&W system in the new Quattroporte.

Fellow Tech2er Brent and I trekked down to Hollywood to have a listen.

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CinemaStyle
Concessions in Session
Michelle McCarthy  |  Jun 06, 2013
Let’s face it—everything’s better with snacks. If you want a truly authentic moviegoing experience at home, you gotta have your concessions in order. Plus, what’s a movie screening without the familiar sound of crinkling candy wrappers, the smell of buttery popcorn in the air, and a Milk Dud or two on the floor? Add in some professional-grade signage, and your guests will never want to venture to the local cineplex again. Better buy your Duds in bulk.
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Bookshelf Speaker Reviews
Test Report: Jamo S 35 HCS speaker system
Daniel Kumin  |  Jun 06, 2013

Physicists have long postulated that an ideal sound reproducer would behave as a pulsating sphere. Ever since, the wish being father to the thought, speaker designers have been cramming transducers into balls, as if making the cabinet round would somehow magically make the sound spherical.

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AV Receiver Reviews
Test Report: Onkyo TX-NR727 A/V Receiver
Daniel Kumin  |  Jun 05, 2013

How much would you pay for an A/V receiver? For a lot of people, the answer is “$899.” This upper-mid-price sweet spot has long marked the point at which AVR-manufacturers sell the most product. Consequently, it’s where they offer the most features, performance, and power for the lowest possible dollar amount.

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Audio Video News
The Wizard of Oz Returns to the Big Screen in IMAX 3D September 20
HT Staff  |  Jun 05, 2013
75th Anniversary Collector’s Edition Blu-ray Box Set to Follow October 1

Marking the 75th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz, Warner Bros. has produced a remastered 3D version of the film that will return to the big screen for a one-week engagement in IMAX theaters across North America beginning September 20, 2013.

Following the theatrical release, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will release The Wizard of Oz 75th Anniversary Collector’s Edition box set on October 1, 2013...

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AV Receiver Buying TipsAV Receiver Tech
How to Buy an A/V Receiver
Rob Sabin  |  Jun 05, 2013
If there’s been any real change in the home theater audio landscape recently, it’s been the emergence of the anti-AVR. From soundbars to powered tabletop systems to wireless streaming speakers that can double as your TV’s audio system, the trend is toward all-in-one solutions that are simple to shop for, easy to install, and a cinch to operate. Granted, even the most basic receiver is none of those things. But the Swiss Army knife of the A/V world still remains the best value in the land, packing more power, features, flexibility, and (when mated with good speakers) performance than any integrated approach.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Catch Me If You Can
Shane Buettner  |  Jun 05, 2013
Picture
Sound
Extras
Master director Steven Spielberg has made enduring classics in horror, sci-fi, adventure, and historical drama. 2002’s Catch Me if You Can is just his second screwball comedy (the first being the box-office disaster and cult classic 1941), and even if it’s not a classic, it’s his hippest and most outrageously fun film to date. Strap yourself in for the unbelievable true story of one Frank Abagnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio).
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