Q I’m confused by the volume display on my AV receiver. There are two settings to choose from, Relative and Absolute. What’s the difference, and what do they mean? —Scott Oakley / via e-mail
Q Last year, Nakamichi introduced a home theater/audio speaker system bearing the iconic Dragon nameplate. What’s the latest news on the system and what are your impressions of it? — John Werner
Q In a picture accompanying S&V’s recent article on VIZIO’s Reference UHDTV, I noticed a coaxial cable input on the back panel next to the HDMI connections. This made me wonder why coaxial cable is used to convey over-the-air and cable HD signals, but HDMI connections are used to carry them the last six feet to our screens. Is the issue copy protection in the HDMI cable? Or is it about compression/decompression? —Ben Hurwitz / Greensboro, NC
A What’s the problem with HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC)? I’ve heard that most people simply give up on ARC and use an optical digital audio connection from their TV to their receiver instead because they can rarely get it to work between devices, especially ones from different manufacturers.
What can the HDMI Forum do to improve the situation? —Phis Tomaskovic / via e-mail
Q I just purchased a Samsung 4K UHDTV and am now ready to spring for a new AV receiver. It’s May 2015. Are there any HDCP 2.2-compatible AV receivers available yet? —Pat Balice
Q The connector on my in-wall HDMI cable broke off, and I have no way to replace it other than ripping into the wall. As a result, I’m wondering if the wireless HDMI products on the market are a noticeable downgrade from wired HDMI? —R.A. Oleson
Q There’s been much discussion about MQA technology and its capabilities, but the only products that support MQA are a handful of DACs and stereo amps.
When can we expect to see MQA in mainstream AVRs such as those from Marantz, Yamaha, Denon, Pioneer, and Onkyo? For me, there’s no point in upgrading to a new receiver now if MQA decoding can’t at least be added via a firmware update. —Jacek G.
Q Digital high-definition broadcasting started back in 1998, but since then, only video has
received a facelift, not audio. Why hasn’t DTV audio evolved to at least Dolby Digital Plus status?
—David Musoke / via e-mail
Q I have a vintage preamp that I love (Audible Illusions 2C) but really need to be able to have remote volume control. Ten years ago, there seemed to be some good options for adding a volume control between a preamp and amp that were not very expensive. I am not finding anything reasonable now. Any ideas? —Michael O’Connor
Q I’m in the market to buy a new receiver. The speakers I’m using are powered models that I plug directly into the back of the receiver. My question: Will it hurt or decrease the life of the speakers if I instead plug them into a regular AC outlet on my wall? New receivers I’ve checked out with features that I like do not provide AC outlets. —Bill Major / via email
You won't be hurting or decreasing the life of your powered speakers by plugging them into a regular wall AC outlet. Instead, you’ll be helping them.
i just upgraded to a bigger subwoofer, a JBL ES250P rated at 400 watts RMS and
700 watts peak power. The sub specs say it can play down to 25 Hz, which is very low, and the sub has a crossover adjustment that goes from 150 Hz to 50hz. My HSU Research speakers are rated down to 60 Hz. Should I set the subwoofer crossover at or near 60 Hz? Or all the way up to 150 Hz? I currently have my system crossed over at 100 Hz.
I'm a Home Theater subscriber, and I always read your blogs. I can't believe there are no plasmas with deep blacks similar to the Pioneer Kuros. I'm a happy owner of the PRO-110FD (family room) and PRO-111FD (master bedroom). What new model is closest to the Pioneer Kuros that you would recommend to a friend who is looking for a plasma or LCD?
Second question: Do the new JVC 3D projectors support anamorphic lenses? Are you aware of any 3D projector (other than Runco's, which is too expensive) that supports anamorphic lenses?
Q I have a home theater system based around a Sony STR-DN1080 7.2-channel receiver and I’m on a quest to pick up new speakers to use for Dolby Atmos. What’s the best speaker match in the $1,000-to-$2,000 range? Also, how would I hook everything up to optimize the system for Atmos? —Ernest Walker / via e-mail
Q Can I use an HDMI 1.3b cable to connect an Ultra HD Blu-Ray player to my regular HDTV? Will the cable downscale the 4K image to 1080p, or do I need to use an HDMI 2.0 cable for it to work? —Charles Kuforiji, via email
Q I have a substantial amount of money invested in my home theater. With the arrival of object-based Dolby Atmos/DTS:X audio and High Dynamic Range video, not to mention the forthcoming ATSC 3.0 Digital TV standard, I’d like to know which components in my rig should I replace first? Also, how much should I plan to spend for each upgrade? —R. Hill / Chattanooga, TN
Q The first component I’d recommend upgrading is your A/V receiver. Why? New 2016 receivers from Onkyo, Denon, Marantz, Yamaha, Pioneer, and Anthem are equipped to provide Dolby Atmos and, in some cases, DTS:X processing (either out of the box or via a firmware upgrade). Along with offering the latest advancements in home theater audio, 2016 receivers should all be outfitted with HDMI 2.0a connections. Why is that important? Because HDMI 2.0a, the latest HDMI version, accommodates a range of new video technologies including 4K/Ultra HD resolution, 10-bit color, and High Dynamic Range (HDR). Plan to spend $500 and up for a new HDMI 2.0a-equipped receiver with object-based audio support.