LATEST ADDITIONS

A/V Veteran
Visiting the Past
Thomas J. Norton  |  Aug 27, 2024
Cranford is an outstanding 2007 BBC series-length drama in multiple episodes spanning a total of 291 minutes (approximately 5 hours). It's U.S. broadcast at that time was on PBS' Masterpiece Theater. I first watched it years ago on Blu-ray. For this blog re-watched it again from beginning to end.

It's certainly no action adventure story. Don't expect to see a sequel, Aliens in Cranford at your local multiplex. But even if historical dramas aren't your thing it's nevertheless well worth a trial run. You can find the entire Chapter 1 of the seven chapters on YouTube. The picture quality there is a definite step or two below the quality on the Blu-rays, but it's watchable. Note that there are 2 very short breaks on the YouTube transfer that might lead you to think that it's only a teaser. But it continues with the entire chapter after two interruptions of a few seconds.

Don't be surprised if you're hooked and immediately buy the Blu-ray to experience the entire story in significantly higher video quality

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Projector Reviews
Samsung The Premiere 9 4K RGB Laser UST Projector Review
Mark Henninger  |  Aug 26, 2024

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $5,999

Plus
Sharp 4K resolution
Impressive color gamut
Brightness in ambient light
Easy setup and integration
Powerful built-in sound
Tizen smart features
Minus
Limited native contrast
Best in dim lighting (like all projectors)
Not for hardcore gaming
High price point

THE VERDICT
With just a few minutes setup and when viewed under controlled lighting, The Premiere 9's image is roughly equivalent in appearance to a 120-inch or larger TV.

Samsung's The Premiere 9 arrives at an interesting juncture. The ultra-short throw (UST) projector category, once a scrappy upstart, has matured, along with consumers' understanding of how these devices fit into the AV lifestyle.

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Signals
It’s the End of the World. How About Popcorn and a Movie?
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Aug 26, 2024
Attention all preppers! Today’s column is right up your alley — or, more precisely — your tunnel to your underground bunker. Put down your MRE. Lay aside your auto-loading shotgun. This is important. We are discussing your favorite topic: Armageddon.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
End-of-Summer Sizzlers: Top Movies on Disc
Chris Chiarella  |  Aug 23, 2024

Once again, the studios have saved some of their very best releases for the warm weather months. Settle in with a cool drink for a wide variety of films—and a couple of soundtracks—both high-profile and under-the-radar, across a range of genres, decades, and even different languages.

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Ultra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Dune: Part Two
Ralph Potts  |  Aug 23, 2024
Picture
Sound
Extras

Dune: Part Two is the second installment in director Denis Villeneuve’s film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel. It explores the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future.

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Headphone Reviews
Sonos Ace Headphones Review: Ace Aces All Audio
Leslie Shapiro  |  Aug 22, 2024

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $399

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Sleek ergonomics
Works independently of Sonos ecosystem
Dolby Atmos
Balanced, natural sound
Minus
WiFi only available in TV Audio Switch
Bright Aware Mode
Expensive

THE VERDICT
The Ace headphones, first headphones from Sonos, ace music playback and break out of the Sonos ecosystem, giving non-Sonos users and Sonos fans something to celebrate.

Sonos created quite the buzz when they announced their first headphones, the Sonos Ace. The appeal was instantaneous, especially when people realized that they could be used independently from the Sonos ecosystem. Hello, world! The wireless Ace was released and I can’t begin to describe how excited I was.

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Audio Video News
Best Gear of the Spring and Summer of 2024
Bob Ankosko  |  Aug 22, 2024
The spring and summer of 2024 produced a bumper crop of exceptional audio and video gear, ranging from a $169 gaming headset to a unique $12,000 set of speakers (no, that’s not a typo) from a French company you never heard of — plus a dozen more Sound & Vision Top Picks. It’s an eclectic harvest featuring a great sounding portable wireless speaker from a company specializing in audio, a mini streaming amp that proves good things come in small (and affordable) packages, a top performing mini-LED TV, a flagship AV receiver with everything an audiophile could ask for, and a home theater speaker system guaranteed to leave your jaw on the floor. There’s even a high-end universal audio/video universal disc player in the mix and a modern take on the classic boombox. Let’s take a closer look...
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Ask S&V
Where Can I Find a Good Remote Volume Control?
John Sciacca  |  Aug 22, 2024
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I have a vintage preamp that I love (Audible Illusions 2C) but really need to be able to have remote volume control. Ten years ago, there seemed to be some good options for adding a volume control between a preamp and amp that were not very expensive. I am not finding anything reasonable now. Any ideas? —Michael O’Connor

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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Bowers & Wilkins Announces Reference-Quality Wireless Earbuds
SV Staff  |  Aug 21, 2024
Bowers & Wilkins today announced two hi-res-capable wireless earbuds designed by the engineering teams that developed the brand’s Px7 S2e and Px8 over-ear headphones.
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CEDIA 2009
Bridging the Analog-Digital Gap on a Recliner
Michael Antonoff  |  Aug 21, 2024
When I shopped for a motorized recliner, I rejected models with their own Internet Protocol address and built-in speakers. No need. I had already placed a smart speaker on an étagère beside the space where I had planned to put the chair. I’d have a smartphone in my hand and the room would be bathed in Wi-Fi.
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