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Audio Video News
Smart Earbuds Startup Doppler Labs Closes its Doors
SV Staff  |  Nov 03, 2017
Doppler Labs, maker of the Hear Active and Hear One smart earbuds, announced that it is ceasing operations December 1.
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Audio Video News
Amazon Opens ‘Black Friday Deals’ Store
SV Staff  |  Nov 02, 2017
Let the deals begin. Amazon has announced that its Black Friday Deals Store is now open, marking the official (or unofficial?) start of the holiday shopping season.
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Audio Video News
Pay the Musicians, Already
Mark Fleischmann  |  Nov 02, 2017
Republicans and Democrats may not agree on much, but at least one member of each party would like to see musicians get paid royalties on musical works produced before 1972.
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Ask S&V
Why Does My Receiver Default to DTS Neural:X Mode?
Al Griffin  |  Nov 02, 2017
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I'm a proud new owner of a Marantz AV7703 preamp/processor, which I use with a 7.0 speaker configuration (full-range fronts and no subwoofer).

Here’s my question: When I play a Blu-ray disc with a 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack, the pre-pro’s auto surround mode outputs it as DTS-HD + Neural:X (see above picture). But why would the processor create an upmixed signal instead of passing on discrete channel information to the back surrounds? I’m using an Oppo BDP-103 Blu-ray player with the audio output set to bitstream. —John F. Bartelt

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Audio Video News
USB-C Hub Aims to Reduce Connectivity Confusion
SV Staff  |  Nov 02, 2017
PowerTrend-Sota has introduced a USB Type-C portable docking station intended to “alleviate the inconvenience and confusion surrounding the USB Type-C interface.”
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Audio Video News
Netflix 4K Now On Comcast’s Xfinity X1 Service
SV Staff  |  Nov 02, 2017
Comcast has announced the availability of “seamless access” to Netflix Ultra HD (UHD) 4K programming for its Xfinity X1 TV/Internet platform.
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Audio Video News
October 2017 Top Picks at a Glance
SV Staff  |  Nov 01, 2017
October may be gone but it’s not forgotten, having yielded a small but distinguished batch of Top Pick-designated products. Among them a high performing stereo receiver with distinctive retro styling, Sony’s impressive reentry into the vibrant world of OLED TV, a reference-caliber home theater speaker system that is surprisingly affordable, and a budget AV receiver that’s bustling with features. All are presented here in summary form for your reading pleasure.
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New Products
November 2017 New Gear Part 2
SV Staff  |  Nov 01, 2017
Yamaha YAS-207 DTS Virtual:X Soundbar
DTS has an answer to Dolby Atmos-enabled soundbars: It’s called DTS Virtual:X, and it recently debuted in Yamaha’s YAS-207 soundbar. The “post-processing virtualization technology” simulates an immersive surround sound experience with effects that move around and above the listener without the need for additional speakers. DTS says it works with any stereo or multi-channel content (up to 7.1.4/11.1 channels).
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Klipsch Offers 5.1 Reference Theater Pack for a Grand
SV Staff  |  Oct 31, 2017
Klipsch is offering a new 5.1-channel Reference Theater Pack for enthusiasts who want big sound from speakers with a small footprint and small price tag.
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Headphone Reviews
Periodic Audio Mg, Ti, and Be In-Ear Headphones
Steve Guttenberg  |  Oct 31, 2017
Ti In-Ear Headphones
Performance
Build Quality
Comfort
Value
Be In-Ear Headphones
Performance
Build Quality
Comfort
Value

Mg In-Ear Headphone
Performance
Build Quality
Comfort
Value
PRICE $99, $199, $299

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Clear sound, great bass
Five-year warranty
Now made in the U.S.
Minus
Tangle-prone cable
No phone controls

THE VERDICT
Periodic Audio’s three in-ear headphones—the Mg, Ti, and Be—may only differ in the driver material but sound more different than you might expect.

Periodic Audio is a brand-new company that launched with just three in-ear headphones, the Mg (Magnesium), the Ti (Titanium), and the Be (Beryllium), for $99, $199, and $299, respectively. The three headphones look nearly the same, differing only in the color of the earpiece end caps. The Mg and Ti are similar shades of silver, while the Be is gold. The three models’ 10mm drivers are all mechanically exactly the same but differ in their diaphragm materials—magnesium, titanium, and beryllium—so it made sense to look at all three models as a group.

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