Thomas J. Norton

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A/V Veteran
Taking a Closer Look at LG's 2024 TV Lineup
Thomas J. Norton  |  Mar 26, 2024  |  5 comments
I recently visited LG's New Jersey U.S. headquarters to get the scoop on its 2024 lineup of QNED and OLED TVs. Here's what I learned.
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A/V Veteran
Taming the Room Monster
Thomas J. Norton  |  Feb 23, 2021  |  6 comments
Anyone who has read any of my speaker reviews over the past few years knows that my current room has bass issues (the photo here is, sadly, NOT my room!!). Welcome me to the club; rooms without bass problems are few and far between. Only the obsessed worries about a peak at 30Hz, but erratic response higher in the bass, particularly in the 80 to 200Hz region, can have serious negative effects on the overall sound. To little response there can reduce a source's natural weight, particularly on large scale music or home theater effects. Too much and the bass sounds bloated.

Once you get above a certain frequency, usually between 200 and 500 Hz (known as the Schroeder frequency, after the physicist who first identified it and not the Peanuts character), the room's effect on the sound becomes less significant.

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Tower Speaker ReviewsSubwoofer Reviews
Tannoy Fusion surround speaker system
Thomas J. Norton  |  Dec 15, 2004  |  0 comments

Tannoy has been designing and manufacturing speakers in the United Kingdom for as long as anyone can recall. The word "Tannoy," in fact, is as generic in Britain as "Scotch tape" is here. If a Brit tells you that he just heard something on the "Tannoy," you're more likely to be in a train station than a hi-fi shop, and he's talking about an announcement on the PA system.

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4K TV ReviewsLCD TV ReviewsTV Reviews
TCL 6-Series 65R635 Roku LCD Ultra HDTV Review
Thomas J. Norton  |  Feb 17, 2021  |  4 comments

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $1,000

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Effective, 160- zone local-dimming
App-based color calibration
Affordable price
Minus
Image quality reduced at off-center seats
Some green push with HDR content

THE VERDICT
TCL's 6-Series UHD Roku TV brings the benefits of Mini-LED backlighting to a very affordable price point.

In late 2019, TCL flew me to the company's U.S. offices in California to spend an afternoon with its new flagship, the 75Q825 8-Series UHD Roku TV, a 75-inch 4K LCD model. Not all of the set's firmware was complete, but we took advantage of the opportunity to give our readers a sneak preview. The 75Q825's signature feature was TCL's use of mini-LEDs for backlighting, and at its then price of $3,000, it was something of an outlier for a brand associated with budget TVs.

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4K TV ReviewsLCD TV ReviewsTV Reviews
TCL 75Q825 8-Series Roku LCD Ultra HDTV Review
Thomas J. Norton  |  Nov 27, 2019  |  4 comments

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $3,000

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Super-punchy HDR performance
Class-leading local dimming
App-based picture calibration
Minus
Typical limited off-center viewing window
No VRR or FreeSync for gaming

THE VERDICT
The Chinese TV maker TCL has been rattling the budget sector for several years. But with its new 8-Series, the company has boldly entered the rarified high-end Ultra HDTV realm.

TCL made its mark worldwide over the last few years largely by selling budget sets with built-in Roku streaming. But with its new 8-Series, available in 65- and 75-inch screen sizes ($2,000 and $3,000, respectively), the company has elbowed its way into the high end and managed to do so at a highly competitive price point.

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CES 2016
TCL Tries Wide
Thomas J. Norton  |  Jan 07, 2016  |  0 comments
Like many demos CES, this 2.35:1 (21x9) “scope” curved LCD widescreen Ultra HD design was likely brought in to test its commercial viability with the army of retailers who attend CES. According to the information I received, however, TCL (a Chinese company) does plan to distribute it in Hong Kong, at least initially...
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CES 2016
TCL Widens its Focus to 21:9
Thomas J. Norton  |  Jan 07, 2016  |  0 comments
Like many demos CES, this 2.35:1 (21x9) “scope” curved LCD widescreen Ultra HD design was likely brought in to test its commercial viability with the army of retailers who attend CES. According to the information I received, however, TCL (a Chinese company) does plan to distribute it in Hong Kong, at least initially...

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CES 2016
TCL's Flagship X1 Coming Soon
Thomas J. Norton  |  Jan 07, 2016  |  0 comments
It may be next fall before we see TCL’s premier Xclusive X1 Series. The largest is the 65-inch model shown here. No prices were offered as yet (projected retail prices were, in general, in short supply at the show)...
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CES 2016
TCL's Slick Back End
Thomas J. Norton  |  Jan 07, 2016  |  0 comments
Manufacturers are starting to realize that some folks locate their televisions where the back is visible. In the past the rear panel hasn’t exactly been a showpiece, but this TCL design shouldn’t embarrass anyone.
CES 2016
TCL's Ultra-Wide 21:9 LCD
Thomas J. Norton  |  Jan 11, 2016  |  0 comments
Like many demos at CES 2016, this 2.35:1 (21x9) “scope” curved LCD widescreen Ultra HD design was likely brought in to test its commercial viability with the army of retailers who attend CES. According to the information I received, however, TCL (a Chinese company) does plan to distribute it in Hong Kong, at least initially.
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