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Blu-ray Movie ReviewsUltra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The Woman King
Ralph Potts  |  Jan 30, 2023  |  0 comments
Picture
Sound
Extras

The Woman King is inspired by true events and centers around General Nanisca (Viola Davis), the seasoned leader of the Agojie, an all-female group of warriors that protects the African kingdom of Dahomey. After Gen. Nansica suggests to the king that the slave trade, an essential part of their economy, has put their future at risk, she urges him to seek other means of commerce through their foreign partners...

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Streaming Device Reviews
Arylic S50+ Pro Preamp and A50+ Amp Review
Barb Gonzalez  |  Jan 28, 2023  |  0 comments
Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE A50+ $199, S50+ Pro $219

AT A GLANCE
Plus
A50+
Multiple music sources include streaming music services
Multiroom streaming or stream separately
EQ adjustment buttons on remote
Presets to favorite playlists
Stream legacy devices like turntables or CD players

S50+ Pro
Pairable with A50+ for synchronized listening throughout the home
Optical input and output
Decodes high-resolution audio
Remote control with EQ direct buttons
Presets to switch to favorite playlists from a variety of services
Stream legacy devices like turntables or CD players

Minus (A50+ and S50+ Pro)
The 4STREAM app is confusing and incomplete
Can’t create a play queue
Amazon Music has bugs (doesn’t play when switching from another app)
Output is compressed CD quality, not high-resolution audio
Doesn’t have AirPlay2
Doesn’t work with Alexa, Google, directly with Siri

THE VERDICT
The Arylic A50+ wireless multiroom full digital hi-fi amplifier and the S50+ Pro wireless streaming preamplifier are reasonably priced streaming solutions for specific needs. These aren’t devices for the average user looking for a whole home music system. Instead, the Acrylic amp and preamp are better suited for DIYers or users who are comfortable piecing together a system.

Arylic's A50+ and S50+ are small music streamers that work with most music sources...

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The S&V Interview
David Crosby, The Tenor of Our Times
Mike Mettler  |  Jan 27, 2023  |  1 comments

David Crosby spoke extensively with music editor Mike Mettler just a few months before he sadly passed away at age 81 on January 18. The voice of a generation, Croz discusses his knack for recognizing the chemistry he had with certain musicians, how the song “Compass” helped recalibrate his songwriting acumen, what album of his he’d like most to be listened to a half-century into the future, and much more.

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Audio Video News
Best Gear of January 2023
Bob Ankosko  |  Jan 26, 2023  |  1 comments
If January is any indication, we can look forward to a stellar year for new gear. The first month of the New Year brought us several easy-to-recommend Top Picks: A new AV receiver from one of the most storied names in home audio, a killer ultra-short-throw projector, a subwoofer made for music, and a top performing streamer that is surprisingly affordable.
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Music Disc Reviews
The Beach Boys: Sail On Sailor – 1972 Deluxe Edition Box Set
Mike Mettler  |  Jan 26, 2023  |  0 comments
Performances
Sound
In the early-1970s, two new VIP members of The Beach Boys not sporting the surnames Wilson, Love, or Jardine came to the forefront of the band — namely, guitarist/vocalist Blondie Chaplin and guitarist/drummer Ricky Fataar. Though their tenure in The Beach Boys was short-lived, the energy and creative verve these two artists of South African descent injected into this consummate California band’s era-transitional gambits were noticeably palpable for a decade, often overshadowed by the sheer magnitude of their groundbreaking 1960s recordings.
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Editor's Eye
New Horizons
Mark Henninger  |  Jan 25, 2023  |  5 comments
Getting to know Sound & Vision Editor Mark Henninger.
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Director's Intent: Kaleidescape 4K
The Batman
David Vaughn  |  Jan 24, 2023  |  6 comments
Picture
Sound
Kaleidescape Scenes
Extras
A killer is stalking Gotham City’s elite and a trail of cryptic clues sends Batman into the underworld of the city he has vowed to protect. There he meets a bevy of characters, each with their own agenda. Some wish him success but most want him to fail. As the evidence starts to solidify and begins to hit close to home, Batman must form new relationships before he can unmask the culprit and bring his own brand of justice to the abuse of power and corruption that has long plagued the city.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
LG Adds $600 Smart Portable to CineBeam Series
Bob Ankosko  |  Jan 23, 2023  |  0 comments
The newest addition to LG’s CineBeam series of projectors is a versatile $600 portable that can project 16:9 Full HD images up to 120 inches (diagonal). Sorry, no 4K at this price but you do get a smart projector that’s ready to stream out of the box.
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Subwoofer Reviews
GoldenEar ForceField 40 Subwoofer Review
David Vaughn  |  Jan 23, 2023  |  11 comments

Performance
Features
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $1,200

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Compact design
Plenty of output above 35 Hertz
Very musical
Minus
Tepid output below 27 Hz
Limited controls and no app support

THE VERDICT If music is your main passion, you'll love what the ForceField 40 brings to the table, but movie lovers searching for foundation-shaking bass may want to look elsewhere.

As longtime readers of Sound & Vision know, I have a passion for bass. Some might say I need to seek professional help in this regard—well, at least that's what my wife tells me! I've reviewed products for nearly 20 years and had dozens of subwoofers in and out of my theater during that time, and I am generally easy to please. Surprisingly, in all that time, I've never had the pleasure of reviewing anything from GoldenEar, even though the company boasts a broad line of loudspeakers and subwoofers. Well, the time has finally come.

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Signals
Name That Tune
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Jan 23, 2023  |  13 comments
I know, I know, you are pretty darn busy. With Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Wordle, you hardly have any free time for things like – you know – work. Nevertheless, today I have for you another supremely excellent way to fritter away even more of your valuable time.

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