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Music Reviews
Inside the Ultimate Download Experience
Brent Butterworth  |  Jan 24, 2012

What do you want to hear when you listen to music? Do you want a lower-fidelity version of what the artists, engineers, and producers heard in the studio? Or would you prefer to hear exactly what they heard in the studio?

Of course, you'd prefer the latter. But you're probably getting the former - unless, that is, you're listening to high-resolution downloads from HDtracks. If you're listening to CDs, MP3s, or even vinyl records, what you're hearing is not a precise copy of the original digital recording or analog tape. It's downconverted. If it's on CD, the digital resolution has been reduced. If it's on vinyl, the audio has been remastered and the record you're listening to is actually a third-generation mechanical copy.

Sure, it might sound ok. But it's not the best fidelity you can get. HDtracks is. And HDtracks and Sound+Vision have put together an introductory sampler to show you just how good high-resolution listening can be.

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Ask S&V
Best Connections to Older AVR
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jan 23, 2012
I have a Cambridge Audio 540R V3 receiver, Panasonic DMP-BD210 Blu-ray player, Pace RNG200N HD/ENP cable box, and Panasonic TC-P42ST30 plasma TV. The guy at the store where I bought the two Panasonic products told me to connect the cable box and Blu-ray player to the TV with HDMI and connect the TV's digital audio output to the receiver with a Toslink cable. I am new at all this, but I do not think this is the best way to have the best sound considering my receiver—which, by the way, can only deal with video via HDMI, not sound. What do you think ?

Luc Lesage

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Boardwalk Empire
David Vaughn  |  Jan 23, 2012
HBO has quite a history of delivering fantastic Blu-ray presentations, and it continues the trend here. Be prepared for reference-quality video throughout all 12 season-one episodes in the clothing, sets, and flesh tones. The 1920s costume design is absolutely fantastic, and if you're a fan of period pieces, this is right up your alley. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio track is just as impressive and certainly holds its own with its rich atmosphere and crystal-clear dialog reproduction. While it took me a couple of episodes to get into the series, it ranks up there with some of the best I've seen from HBO and is definitely worth a look on Blu-ray.
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Tech2
Review: Q2 Internet Radio
Brent Butterworth  |  Jan 23, 2012

Think of tech products that are easy to use, and you’ll almost certainly think of Apple. But a new product called the Q2 Internet Radio makes the iPhone look as user-friendly as ENIAC.

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VoteCES 2012
What Are You Most Excited About From CES?
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jan 20, 2012
As you can see from 15 pages of CES coverage here on HomeTheater.com, there were tons of fascinating announcements and introductions at the annual geekfest in Las Vegas. Now, it's your turn—what are you most excited about from the show? After you make your selection below, I encourage you to be more specific in the comments—is there a particular product or company you're especially interested in?

Vote to see the results and leave a comment about your choice.

What Are You Most Excited About From CES?
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Tech2
Review: V-Moda Faders
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Jan 20, 2012

It’s rare for any company to discuss a health problem associated with their industry. This makes V-MODA’s new line of Fader earplugs a welcome curiosity.

They claim to be “designed and tuned by professional DJs, producers and doctors.” As in, not the hard high-end cut offered by foam earplugs.

Ok, sounds like something I’d like, but where to test them. . .

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CES 2012
CES 2012: The TV Report
Al Griffin  |  Jan 19, 2012

There was no shortage of cool stuff being pitched by TV makers at this year’s CES. While 55-inch OLED sets around 4 millimeters thick nabbed the spotlight (rightly so, since they weren’t prototypes but actual products scheduled to come out in 2012), we were also surprised by the number of 4K models — some of which were also real products on target for a 2012 release.

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CES 2012
35 Miles…a CES Personal Best
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jan 19, 2012
I couldn't believe it when I looked at my pedometer upon returning to my hotel room after CES closed last Friday—I had walked just a smidge under 35 miles in five days! That's way more than I've ever done before, and my feet knew it.

Lying on the bed, exhausted, I couldn't help thinking about all I'd seen in those 35 miles. Some attendees I spoke with summed up their feelings about the show with a yawn, but not me. I found this year's CES to be very exciting, full of important introductions and announcements that will fill the coming year with plenty of things to write about and lust after.

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Home Theater Geeks PodcastCES 2012
Podcast 95: CES 2012 Wrapup
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jan 19, 2012

Home-theater consultant Ray Coronado and HomeTheater.com correspondents Tom Norton and Barb Gonzalez join me to discuss our impressions of CES last week, including OLED TVs, 4K flat panels, 3D, online streaming, audio, answers to chat-room questions, and more.

Run Time: 1:01:48

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New Products
Shure's New High-End Headphones: Meet the SRH1440 and SRH1840
Michael Berk  |  Jan 19, 2012

The months of online speculation have been resolved today with Shure's official announcement (at the 2012 NAMM show) of the SRH1440 ($399) and SRH1840 ($699) full-sized, over-the-ear, open-back headphones.

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