LATEST ADDITIONS

Ask S&V
What Are Those Splotches On My TV’s Screen?
Al Griffin  |  Dec 19, 2013
Q I just bought a Sharp HDTV from Best Buy. When watching a dark scene from the TV series Grimm that I recorded with my DirecTV DVR, horrible black splotches suddenly appeared on the screen. Is this problem fixable?—Darryl Cameron via email
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The S&V Interview
Slide Master and Vinyl Lover Derek Trucks
Mike Mettler  |  Dec 18, 2013
“That’s the cartridge you want — the one that’ll get you kicked out of the house!” And that’s Derek Trucks, empathizing over the price of high-end audiophile gear, both in terms of how it affects your wallet and your personal life. “I’ve had that conversation too,” he adds with a chuckle. The good-natured Trucks — seen at the center of the above photo, with his arms folded — drenched his sweet-toned slide-guitar stamp all over one of 2013’s best albums, the Tedeschi Trucks Band’s Made Up Mind (Masterworks; you can read my 4 1/2-star review of it in the Discs & Downloads section.) Here, Trucks, 34, and I commune over his favorite gear and LPs, how good Mind sounds on vinyl, and its thematic album-closing parallel. (Hint: “Darling, won’t you ease my worried mind” is a line from said album's title track.)

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Vote
What’s Your Ultimate Holiday Gift?
SV Staff  |  Dec 18, 2013
As the holiday season hits stride let’s take a moment to count our blessings and reflect on the important things in life—family, friends, and…that one kick-ass gift you dream (fantasize?) about. If you don’t see your gift-to-end-all-gifts below, please post a comment to enlighten us.
What’s Your Ultimate Holiday Gift?
Sweet 4K/Ultra HD TV
11% (41 votes)
Super sexy OLED TV
14% (55 votes)
Pristine plasma TV
7% (28 votes)
Movie theater-like projection TV setup
14% (53 votes)
To-die-for home theater speaker system
13% (49 votes)
Outta sight in-wall/ceiling home theater speaker setup
1% (3 votes)
Spectacular speakers for music
13% (49 votes)
Subterranean subwoofer
5% (18 votes)
World’s best soundbar
1% (5 votes)
Studio-quality movie streaming setup
1% (2 votes)
Ultra-high-rez music streaming setup
2% (7 votes)
Wonderful whole-house wireless music system
2% (8 votes)
Awesome AV receiver
3% (11 votes)
Amazing AV separates
8% (31 votes)
State-of-the-art turntable
3% (10 votes)
Hellacious Headphones
4% (14 votes)
Total votes: 384
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Ask S&V
How Much Amplifier Power Is Too Much Power?
Al Griffin  |  Dec 17, 2013
Q How much amplifier power is too much power? My speakers have a 75-to-100-watt RMS power rating and are connected to an entry-level Yamaha receiver, so it’s safe to say they aren’t being pushed anywhere near their potential. I plan to upgrade to separates in the near future, however, and need to know how powerful an amp I should buy. Should I go with too much amp (200 watts RMS per channel), or just enough (125 watts RMS per channel)? —Audiophile Noob via e-mail
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Signals
Shop ‘til You Drop, La, La, La
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Dec 17, 2013
Ah, once again, it’s that magical time of year. Malls jammed with shoppers looking for that elusively perfect gift, parking lots jammed with cars competing for that even more elusive parking space, and everyone’s favorite—the joyous strains of holiday music. When I say “strains,” I mean as in you straining not to go insane when you hear Little Drummer Boy for the umpteenth time.

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Editor's Eye
Buh-Bye, 3D? Alas, We Hardly Knew Ye
Rob Sabin  |  Dec 16, 2013
I had the unexpected and unexpectedly pleasant experience recently of viewing the 3D version of the theatrical blockbuster Gravity in what proved to be a perfectly competent RealD (i.e., not IMAX) presentation. I say unexpected because I’d actually recommended that our group that day skip the 3D entirely and just watch the (undoubtedly brighter) 2D version—such has my need for theatrical and at-home 3D dropped off the cliff. I only walked into the theater reservedly after a mishap in which the wrong tickets got purchased online in advance of our arrival.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Oblivion
Shane Buettner  |  Dec 16, 2013
Picture
Sound
Extras
Interactivity
Based on director Joseph Kosinski’s (Tron: Legacy) unpublished graphic novel “treatment,” Oblivion plays like a patchwork quilt of samples from just about every popular science-fiction movie made since 2001: A Space Odyssey. While Kosinski’s graphic novel concept supposedly predates Pixar’s 2008 blockbuster Wall-E, the similarities aren’t at all subtle, especially with flying drones that look and act so much like EVE that I’m surprised Universal isn’t getting dinged for likeness royalties.
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Remotely Possible
A Holiday "Don’t Give This" Gift Guide
Darryl Wilkinson  |  Dec 16, 2013
On the 12 Days of Christmas, please don’t get these gifts for me…
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Audio Video News
Vizio Introduces $300 Soundbar for 55-Inch TVs
SV Staff  |  Dec 16, 2013
Vizio has introduced an all-in-one three-channel soundbar designed for use with TVs that have screen sizes 55 inches and larger TV.
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Media Server Reviews
NuVo Technologies Wireless Audio System
Rob Sabin  |  Dec 13, 2013

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $1,277

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Simple setup
Intuitive, engaging, easy interface
Excellent sonics when mated with good speakers
Minus
Limited streaming music options
No desktop controller

THE VERDICT
Though its wireless system isn’t as built out as the popular Sonos system, NuVo delivers a worthy competitor and a foundation for the future.

Back in Sound & Vision’s July/August 2013 issue, my colleague John Sciacca favorably reviewed the NuVo Technologies Wireless Audio System, a multiroom music solution that goes after the popular Sonos system head on, delivered by a company with an even longer history in distributed audio. (Read John's review here.) About 10 years ago, when Sonos didn’t exist and companies like Russound dominated the multiroom industry with traditional pushbutton wall pads that blindly operated hidden CD players, radio tuners, or other analog sources using flaky infrared signals, NuVo had another way.

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