Bob Ankosko

Sort By: Post Date | Title | Publish Date
Audio Video News
Best Gear of July 2021
Bob Ankosko  |  Jul 29, 2021
We hope you’re enjoying the dog days of summer along with a return to some semblance of pre-pandemic normal even as the COVID-19 Delta variant threatens a return to mask-wearing protocols. Meanwhile, here at Sound & Vision we continue to pursue the latest audio and video offerings with an eye toward isolating gear that rises above the pack. In July, our efforts were duly rewarded with an impressive soundbar that can be had for less than $200 and a compact subwoofer that plays remarkably low and loud. Our testing also uncovered a reference-quality DAC that doubles as a streaming media player and a new flagship speaker from one of Canada’s top audio brands. Let’s take a closer look.
Continue Reading >
Audio Video News
Best Gear of June 2020
Bob Ankosko  |  Jun 25, 2020
June ushered in the relaxing vibes of summer, hope for a future free of COVID-19, and several more Sound & Vision Top Picks for your consideration. From a unique “soundbar” for turntable-based music systems to wireless earbuds worthy of your attention to an outstanding five-piece home-theater speaker system and a subwoofer built for inveterate tweakers, there’s a little something for everyone. Here’s to reconnecting with friends and family (in person!) and revisiting vacation plans as we get on with our lives.
Continue Reading >
Audio Video News
Best Gear of June 2021
Bob Ankosko  |  Jun 24, 2021
Talk about extremes. The summer’s first official batch of Top Picks range from a $60 set of noise-cancelling wireless earbuds from a brand you never heard of to an $18,000 state-of-the-art surround processor from one of Europe’s premiere electronics companies. Both will surprise you.
Continue Reading >
Audio Video News
Best Gear of Late 2021 and 2022
Bob Ankosko  |  Mar 10, 2022
Time for a new set of speakers or subwoofer? An AVR with the latest features? Or maybe it’s time to bring your audio setup into the 21st century with a new music streamer. Wherever your home entertainment path is leading, click on to the next page for capsule reviews of more than two dozen products — all awarded Sound & Vision Top Picks in recent months.
Continue Reading >
Audio Video News
Best Gear of Late 2023/Early 2024
Bob Ankosko  |  Feb 01, 2024
In the waning weeks of 2023, our last few Top Picks included small and large sets of speakers from two well-known but very different brands and two superb TVs — a quantum-dot OLED and a mini-LED Google TV, both reasonably priced. As we kicked off the New Year, the hits kept coming with an audiophile-caliber streaming amp combo, a state-of-the-art AV preamp/processor that leaves little to the imagination, and a high-performing yet affordable streaming amp. Let’s take a closer look...
Continue Reading >
Audio Video News
Best Gear of Late Summer/Early Fall 2023
Bob Ankosko  |  Sep 28, 2023
When it comes to products tested, the past couple of months have paid dividends in the form of nine Top Picks, ranging from a killer AV receiver that does everything but pop the popcorn to an 85-inch TV that approaches the grandeur of a projection setup at a price that will blow your mind. Subwoofers also figure prominently into the mix along with an audiophile-caliber desktop system and a rolling party-in-a-box sound machine built for special occasions, inside or out.
Continue Reading >
Audio Video News
Best Gear of Late Winter 2022
Bob Ankosko  |  Feb 24, 2022
Looking back at Sound & Vision’s Top Picks so far in 2022, speakers figure prominently into the mix, starting with a tower-based home theater ensemble that delivers the goods without draining your wallet. The lineup also includes a stately set of towers from a prominent German brand hoping to make a comeback in the U.S. and high performance subwoofers in two price categories — one from a well-known brand, the other from a name you probably don’t know. The odd man out is a new mid-priced AV receiver from Onkyo that can do just about everything you need it to do…except pop the popcorn.
Continue Reading >
Audio Video News
Best Gear of March 2021
Bob Ankosko  |  Mar 25, 2021
Along with the Gift of Spring, March delivered an international mix of gear, including wireless earbuds that bring a personal twist to on-the-go listening, a fantastic space-saving speaker system from one of Canada’s most popular audio brands, and the latest Top Pick offerings from two family-owned hi-fi companies that have been operating in far-flung parts of the world for decades.
Continue Reading >
Audio Video News
Best Gear of March 2022
Bob Ankosko  |  Mar 31, 2022
The predictably unpredictable month of March delivered its usual rollercoaster of weather (at least here in the Northeast). The month that roars also turned out a varied mix of Sound & Vision Top Picks — from an outstanding home theater projector to a set of wonderful sounding wireless earbuds from an iconic audio brand that you didn’t even know makes earbuds. At last, spring is here. Enjoy it.
Continue Reading >
Audio Video News
Best Gear of May 2020
Bob Ankosko  |  May 28, 2020
Who know Ground Hog Day could last so long? Though not gone, the fear-inducing COVID-19 virus is loosening its grip on society, allowing Americans to finally start getting back to (or at least anticipate) something resembling normal life. For many of us, the return to normalcy means revisiting home entertainment aspirations with renewed vigor. To help with that quest, we present the latest round of Sound & Vision Top Picks — an eclectic ensemble that runs the gamut from a forward-looking AV receiver to an ingenious accessory that makes mounting a TV over your fireplace practical.
Continue Reading >

Pages

X