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Why Do My Vinyl Records Sound Bad?
Al Griffin  |  Jun 22, 2017
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I received an el-cheapo Victrola Vintage turntable for Father’s Day. Bypassing the built-in speakers, I eagerly connected the turntable’s RCA outputs to an auxiliary input on my Denon AVR X4200W receiver and played “Bohemian Rhapsody” from Queen’s Greatest Hits. I expected to be greeted by the warm, crackly sound of vinyl playing through my GoldenEar Technology Aon 3s (with help from a 12-inch JL Audio E-Sub), but instead heard a shrill, disappointing mess that lacked low-end and had virtually no stereo image. Comparing the vinyl to a Hi-Res digital recording I own of the same track, the vinyl sounded more like AM radio. Here’s my question: is vinyl all hype, or am I the victim of a low-end turntable? —Chris Wilson, Alpharetta, GA

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Audio Video News
Limited-Edition Black Sabbath Vinyl Set on the Way
SV Staff  |  Jun 22, 2017
Brace yourselves metal fans: a limited edition Black Sabbath vinyl box set is on the way.
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SmartStream
PlayOn Cloud DVR Lets You Record Online Videos
Barb Gonzalez  |  Jun 21, 2017
With the PlayOn Cloud mobile app and PlayOn Desktop, there is finally an online DVR that is easy to use and offers the features you want from a DVR. 
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Audio Video News
MasterCraft Boats Get Klipsch Marine Audio Systems
SV Staff  |  Jun 21, 2017
Klipsch has struck a deal with MasterCraft Boat Company to equip new sport boats with “concert-level” marine sound systems.
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Audio Video News
Trump Calls for Transformation of Government Tech
SV Staff  |  Jun 21, 2017
President Trump called for a “sweeping transformation of the federal government’s technology” at the inaugural meeting of the White House’s American Technology Council on Monday.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Focal Unveils Mainstream Ear/Headphones
SV Staff  |  Jun 21, 2017
Focal, the French maker of stylish high-performance speakers, today announced mainstream-priced wired and wireless earphones and headphones to join last year’s high-end Utopia and Elear models, the latter of which received Sound & Vision’s Top Pick designation.
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A/V Veteran
Mummy Musings
Thomas J. Norton  |  Jun 20, 2017
I haven’t seen the latest Tom Cruise iteration of The Mummy. And with its crushing reviews I doubt that I’ll even invest in the inevitable UHD Blu-ray version that, judging from the current domestic box office returns for the film, should show up on Amazon in about two weeks.

The subject isn’t exactly a treasure trove of classic tropes, but has its fans. The original was, of course, the 1932 Boris Karloff classic (in Hollywood, anything that old is deemed a classic). Three other entries turned up in the ‘40s, followed by 1955’s Abbot and Costello Meet the Mummy (the latter is definitely on my Bucket List). There was also a quadrilogy (did I just coin a word?) of Mummy movies in the ‘50s from Britain’s Hammer Films, and several animated versions...

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Bluetooth Speaker ReviewsBookshelf Speaker Reviews
Audioengine HD3 Loudspeaker Review
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jun 20, 2017

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $399 pr

AT A GLANCE
Plus
For desktop or in-room listening
PC-friendly USB and line inputs
Class A/B analog amp
Minus
Limited (but adjustable) bass

THE VERDICT
Audioengine, always a champ in powered compact speakers, sweetens the deal on this one with a PC-friendly USB input and headphone jack.

Twelve-year-old Audioengine is best known for active compact speakers, though the company also makes passive compact speakers, a subwoofer, a small amplifier, a USB stick DAC, and a couple of streaming DACs. The HD3 loudspeaker is more or less an amalgamation of most of those products, infusing a sweet little speaker with a Class A/B amp, DAC, Bluetooth streaming, and a couple of less common features that just might make it irresistible to those in the market for a pair of small wireless speakers.

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Audio Video NewsNew Products
LG’s Unveils “Ultimate Gaming Monitor”
SV Staff  |  Jun 20, 2017
LG’s newest 34-inch HD gaming monitor boasts an ultra-wide curved screen and other features to provide an immersive experience that pulls gamers into the action.
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Audio Video News
From Smart Home to…Smart Person?
SV Staff  |  Jun 20, 2017
If you could take home security features with you in the form of a wearable device when you left the house, would you feel more secure?
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