SV Staff

A subwoofer to die for, some seriously bad-ass in-wall speakers, a 10-hour Bluetooth speaker from Bose, and more.

September’s Top Picks may be small in number but they make an impression. In audio, we present an intriguing modular soundbar-based system designed for in-wall mounting, the latest take on PSB’s exceptional Imagine speaker series, and two AV receivers that assume very different roles in home entertainment. In video, Samsung’s state-of-the-art 4k/Ultra HDTV speaks for itself as does Epson’s “trickle down” projector.

As September gives way to October, it’s time to reflect on what the past month (or two in this case) has brought us in the way home entertainment goodness. A fair amount, as it turns out. Recapping the virtues of our eight most recent Top Picks, we find four remarkable (and remarkably different) speaker systems to meet almost any need, an AV receiver that has been boldly reinvented for the wireless age, a spectacular soundbar from a brand you forgot about, headphones that will make even the most reluctant “speakers-only” audiophile smile, and a super-capable AV processor from one of audio’s stalwart companies. Which ones will make your upgrade list?

With complex processing, Tera-sized storage and slick user interfaces to pull all your movies and music together, movie servers are among the rarest and coolest breed of A/V gear. While you've likely heard of Kaleidescape (latest review here), you...