LATEST ADDITIONS

A/V Veteran
Gordon’s World: A Video Premonition
Thomas J. Norton  |  Aug 18, 2020
Recently I completed one of my all too infrequent efforts to cull the herd of old magazines more than three years old; anything earlier worth finding is almost certainly available on-line. A few key older issues were kept for various reasons, and a complete set of the long-defunct Stereophile Guide to Home Theater is still hiding somewhere in the garage. But by accident I ran across my only remaining issue of Video Theater. Never heard of it? It was a magazine begun in the late ‘80s by J. Gordon Holt. Holt is best known as the founder of Stereophile magazine, which inspired a whole raft of competitors anxious to fill a pent-up demand for information on how equipment actually sounds, not just how it measures.

But Gordon was not only an audiophile. He was passionate about video as well in an era when home video hadn’t yet moved much beyond the 21-inch, CRT color TV. Video Theater was short lived, but was well served by Gordon’s unique observations and take-no-prisoners words. But the issue I found also had some pithy editorial observations about the road home audio had travelled, in Gordon’s estimation, and how this might predict the future of video beyond when these words were written, in mid-1990. Here they are:

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Audio Video News
SVS Virtual Audiophile Happy Hour with Sandy Gross
SV Staff  |  Aug 18, 2020
The SVS Virtual Audiophile Happy Hour is back and the guest this week is among the most well-known figures in the world of audio. This Thursday, August 20 at 6 p.m. ET, SVS President Gary Yacoubian, National Training Manager Larry McGough, and Vice President Nick Brown will go unscripted and broadcast live on the SVS Facebook page and YouTube channel to discuss favorite demos, answer questions about audio and home theater, and give away some SVS products.
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New Products
Rotel Rolls Out Michi X3 and X5 Integrated Amplifiers
SV Staff  |  Aug 17, 2020
Rotel has announced the addition of a pair of integrated amplifiers to its flagship Michi line of audio components. Boasting “exquisite industrial design” and “best-in-class audio engineering,” the Michi X3 and Michi X5 support an array of analog and digital connection options, including wired network (LAN) and Bluetooth apt-X wireless. They also feature a large, high-resolution front-panel display that, on the X5, can be configured to show operating status, a 12-band graphic EQ, or a peak power meter.
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EISA Awards
EISA Home Theater Audio & Video Awards 2020-2021
SV Staff  |  Aug 14, 2020
EISA, or the Expert Imaging and Sound Association, is an organization representing 61 special interest magazines from 29 countries across the globe that cover Hi-Fi, Home Theater Video, Home Theater Audio, Photography, Mobile Devices, and In-Car Electronics. Each year, EISA expert group members, including editors from Sound & Vision and its sister publications Stereophile and Shutterbug, receive previews of the latest products, typically in-person, but for 2020-2021 via online presentations due to international travel restrictions and safety concerns. This extended process culminates in a vote on which products are worthy of the prestigious EISA award.
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The S&V Interview
Deep Space Truckin' With Deep Purple's Roger Glover
Mike Mettler  |  Aug 14, 2020
Bands that are chock-full of virtuosic performers often need that one key anchor player who literally holds down the fort while the superstars show off their chops. In the case of veteran British rock stalwarts Deep Purple, that anchor is bassist Roger Glover.
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Vintage Gear
Quad ESL-57: The Original Electrostatic Speaker
Bob Ankosko  |  Aug 13, 2020
The Quad Electrostatic Loudspeaker (a.k.a. ESL-57), revered by critics the world over as one of the most natural sounding speakers ever built, may well be the most beloved speaker of all time. Here's why.
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SmartStream
Roku and Plex Offer Free Live TV Channels
Barb Gonzalez  |  Aug 12, 2020
If you've cut the cord and are looking for free content, Roku and Plex have new Live TV offerings.
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Soundbar Reviews
LG SN8YG 3.1.2 Atmos Soundbar Review
Al Griffin  |  Aug 12, 2020

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $799

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Good sound quality with movies and music
AI Room Calibration feature
HDMI eARC connectivity
Chromecast built-in and Google Assistant
Minus
Could use an extra HDMI input

THE VERDICT
The Verdict: LG's affordable 3.1.2 soundbar performs well with movies and music and features new room correction processing.

It was around this time last year that I reviewed LG's SL8YG, a 3.1.2 soundbar equipped with upfiring 2.5-inch drivers and both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X processing. What was notable about that model, as well as other soundbars to arrive from LG in 2019, was the company's effort to go upscale via a sleek new design and custom audio processing from England's Meridian Technologies. The new SN8YG reviewed here continues that upward trajectory, mostly through the addition of a few key features.

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New Products
TCL Announces Pricing, Availability for 2020 Roku TVs
Al Griffin  |  Aug 11, 2020
TV maker TCL today announced that its 5-Series Roku models for 2020 are now available, and that pre-orders are being taken for the new 6-Series Roku sets it expects to ship later this month.
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Signals
The Cat-and-Mouse Game of Predatory Pricing
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Aug 10, 2020
So a woman walks into a store to buy a smart speaker. She sees that the speakers are selling for 20 bucks. “Wow,” she exclaims, and asks the store owner, “How can you sell these for such a low price?” The store owner responds, “Well, actually, each speaker costs us 30 bucks.” The woman says, “Then how do you make a profit?” The owner responds, “We make up for it on volume.” The woman says, “That's illegal!”
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