Audio Video News

With more and more high-end dealers closing shop, opportunities for real demos are drying up, leaving local meet-ups as one of the few ways for enthusiasts to demo the latest gear. So I decided to host my first Pacific Northwest Area Home Theater Meetup in my hometown of Port Orchard, WA. What started out as a gathering of a few friends turned into a massive event...

The Radical.FM music streaming app is like a cross between Spotify and Pandora. Learn about its unique approach to finding songs and creating stations.

Monitor Audio has upgraded and expanded its Radius Series line of speakers. The new eight model lineup includes the R200 center-channel speaker and Radius One soundbar—both slimmed-down to 2.5 inches deep—and two reengineered compact powered subwoofers, the Radius 380 and 390.

The Watch ABC app is the first from a major broadcast network to allow streaming of live TV, including network, local, and syndicated programming. Viewers may also get on-demand content in the ABC Full-Episode Player and app. Watch ABC was up and running at press time in New York and Philadelphia for subscribers of several major cable operators. ABC is not inexperienced with apps, having rolled them out in 2012 for the Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior, and WatchESPN. Look out for a Watch ABC Family app early next year.

Marantz has expanded its audiophile-focused line of stereo components with the PM6005 integrated amplifier ($699) and the CD6005 CD player ($499).

The Welsh company REL Acoustics has been specializing in subwoofers for more than two decades and likes to do things a bit differently. In particular, REL believes a subwoofer must be connected to the main amplifier’s high-level inputs to make sure it receives the same signal as the main speakers—the company even provides a special cable to make the high-level connection.