LATEST ADDITIONS

Harman’s $350 Million Play: The Sound United Deal

Mark Henninger | May 07, 2025

Harman International, the Samsung-owned powerhouse behind JBL, Harman Kardon, Mark Levinson, Revel, and Arcam, has agreed to buy Masimo’s Sound United division for $350 million in cash. If regulators sign off, the sale should close by the end of 2025—just three years after Masimo stunned the market by paying roughly $1.0 billion for the very same collection of brands. For home-theater enthusiasts, the headline isn’t the price swing; it’s what happens when Denon and Marantz AV receivers, Polk Audio and Definitive Technology speakers, Bowers & Wilkins luxury models, Classé electronics, Boston Acoustics, and the HEOS multi-room platform all move under the same roof as Samsung TVs and Harman’s own audio lineup.

Subwoofer Reviews

Vera-Fi Audio Vanguard Scout Speakers, Vanguard Caldera 12 Subwoofer

Jim Wilson | May 07, 2025

Performance
Features
Build Quality
Value

PRICE: $299/pair (Scout), $399 each (Caldera 12) ($698 for a 2.1 system)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Scout & Caldera 12: Stylish and distinctive appearance, doesn’t look like a budget product
Scout & Caldera 12: Small enclosure
Scout & Caldera 12: Inexpensive
Caldera 12: XLR input

Minus
Scout: Low efficiency rating
Scout: A bit soft in the upper frequencies
Caldera 12: Small size imparts some limits on output and extension
Caldera 12: Bass Boost feature is centered at 120Hz
Caldera 12: Auto-on functions in an unorthodox manner

THE VERDICT
The midrange from the Vanguard Scout speakers is silky smooth, while the Vanguard Caldera 12 subwoofer can go lower and play louder than its small size would suggest. At a very competitive price of $698 for a 2.1 system, Vera-Fi Audio gives you good sound quality that they bundle in unique and nicely finished cabinets. You can’t ask for more than that.

Ever hear of Vera-Fi Audio before? Neither had I, until this review. And that’s coming from the guy perhaps most associated to budget subwoofer evaluations, a person also known for finding under-the-radar brands. It’s not often a company like Vera-Fi would escape my gaze, but they did.

A/V Veteran

Life and Death On The Nile

Tom Norton | May 06, 2025

There haven't been tons of movies made about ancient Egypt, which is odd, given the fact that ancient Egyptian history spans eras that began at the dawn of written western civilization as we know it (around 3000 BC) and ended when Egypt (as an independent entity) became a Roman province (around 30 BC). The Egypt-centered films we do have tend to be centered in the middle of that epoch, or around 1300–1500 BC. But this is no coincidence; that time period was one of conflict, conquest, and vast royal wealth, making it ideal for lavish historical epics.

Home Movie Theaters

Tennessee Two-Step

Bob Ankosko | May 04, 2025

How a cosmetic upgrade transformed a plain-and-simple entertainment space into a stunning private cinema.

Headphone Reviews

Focal Hadenys & Azurys Headphones Review: Two Paths, One Foundation

Mark Henninger | May 02, 2025

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value

PRICE $749 (Hadenys, open-back); $599 (Azurys, closed-back)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
• Shared aluminum/magnesium “M-shaped” driver keeps voicing consistent
• Comfortable, lightweight build with replaceable cables and pads
• Hadenys delivers a wide, open stage; Azurys isolates well without obvious colorations
• Both offer deeper-than-expected bass extension for single-ended dynamic designs
Minus
• Azurys’ cups can warm up during long sessions
• Asking price edges above most feature-rich wireless competition

THE VERDICT
Focal’s Hadenys (open-back) and Azurys (closed-back) are fraternal twins that make the case for sticking with a proven mechanical recipe and letting enclosure design dictate personality. By removing wireless frills and matching every other component—driver, yoke, pads, cabling—Focal spotlights the audible trade-offs between ventilation and isolation. If you own one, you will immediately “get” the other; if you own both, you’ll rarely worry about choosing the wrong headphone for the occasion.

Bookshelf Speaker Reviews

Monitor Audio Studio 89 Loudspeaker Review

Daniel Kumin | May 02, 2025

Performance
Build Quality
Value

PRICE $2,499

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Outstanding musical accuracy
Surprisingly deep bass & wide‑open dynamics for size
Very handsome piano‑black finish
Minus
Rear ports mean they’re not bookshelf‑friendly
No protective grilles supplied

THE VERDICT
Monitor Audio’s smallest Studio‑series model delivers reference‑grade balance, imaging, and scale far beyond its modest dimensions—so long as you treat it like the serious loudspeaker it is.

I’ve had a soft spot for compact speakers for decades. An expertly engineered stand‑mount can rival or even surpass many floorstanders in stereo imaging and tonal accuracy—everything except the very lowest octave—and they’re easier to live with. What’s not to like?

Top Picks

AV Excellence: Our Curated Top Picks for 2025

Mark Henninger | Apr 30, 2025 | First Published: Apr 23, 2025

Looking ahead, we've refreshed our Sound & Vision Top Picks list to better reflect how AV enthusiasts shop today. There are numerous excellent product evaluation sites online, all diligently testing the equipment we consider for inclusion in our lists.

Year after year, these sources typically arrive at a consensus—though the concept of labeling a single product as "best" remains inherently subjective. After all, what might be "best" for one person's budget and preferences may not align perfectly with another's needs. Some products stand out for their top performance, but they usually have high prices.

Audio Video News

Digital Trends vs. Caleb Denison: How a Friendly Send-Off Turned Into a Copyright Showdown

Mark Henninger | Apr 29, 2025

For nearly a decade and a half Caleb Denison was the face—and, frankly, the voice—of Digital Trends’ A/V coverage. If you’ve watched a TV review on the site’s 1.3-million-subscriber YouTube channel, you’ve heard the guy: plain-spoken, velvet-baritone narration backed by B-roll of the latest OLEDs, soundbars, and turntables. Then, in mid-April, Denison announced he was leaving to “own the work I create,” thanking Digital Trends (DT) but making it clear he wanted to steer his own ship.

Music Reviews

Alex Lifeson on the Mixing of Envy of None’s New Album in Dolby Atmos (and Some Rush Talk Too)

Mike Mettler | Apr 27, 2025

Irony, your official band name has duly been dubbed Envy of None. That’s the tres-cool moniker for a four-piece Canadian/American band that includes vocalist/keyboardist Maiah Wynne, multi-instrumentalists Andy Curran (Coney Hatch) and Alf Annibalini, and guitarist Alex Lifeson, the latter of whom you may know from his innovative halcyon decades in that little ol’ prog-rock trio from Ontario known as Rush. Read music editor Mike Mettler’s in-depth review of the all-new Dolby Atmos mix of EON’s sophomore effort, Stij(ē)ən Wāvs, to see how just how well they fare in the 360-degree universe. . .

4K TV Reviews LCD TV Reviews TV Reviews 3D Tech

Samsung G90XF 3D Gaming Monitor Review: Glasses-Free 3D Done Right

Mark Henninger | Apr 25, 2025

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value

PRICE
$1,999.99

AT A GLANCE
Plus
• Glasses-free 3D technology delivers a surprisingly comfortable viewing experience
• Excellent 2D performance with a high refresh rate and snappy response time
• Effective eye tracking maintains a stable 3D effect
• Versatile performance across games, VR-style content, and productivity tasks
• Polished Samsung build quality and design

Minus
• Noticeable resolution drop in 3D mode
• Brief delay for eye tracking to lock onto your position
• Premium price tag

THE VERDICT
Samsung’s G90XF 3D gaming monitor takes a bold step forward, introducing a glasses-free 3D experience that’s both immersive and easy on the eyes. It eliminates the bulk and fatigue of traditional 3D glasses or VR headsets, providing a more natural sense of depth that doesn’t strain your vision over time.

Yes, you’ll sacrifice a bit of resolution when toggling on 3D, but the resulting holographic effect more than makes up for it—games and videos truly pop off the screen.

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