Al Griffin

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What the FLAC? Wi-Fi Streaming vs. USB
Al Griffin  |  Oct 17, 2013  |  10 comments
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Q I have a question about streaming audio from my PC to an A/V system located in another room. I want to be able to stream my vast collection of FLAC audio files along with Internet radio to an Integra DTR 5.9 A/V receiver. Running an Ethernet cable wouldn’t be my first choice; I have a strong Wi-Fi signal throughout the entire house and would like to use that instead for streaming. I've looked at the Sonos and Nuvo systems and the WD TV Live box. Each of these options seems to have good and bad points. But I’ve also thought about buying an inexpensive laptop and connecting it to my A/V system with a portable USB DAC. Can you recommend a solution? —John Hanlon / Encinitas, CA

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What Type of Projection Screen Should I Buy?
Al Griffin  |  Feb 11, 2015  |  3 comments
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Q I’m planning on buying an Epson 5030UB projector. My sofa will be 14.5 feet from the screen. The room has controllable dimmers, and there will be some room light when I watch games. What screen size and type would you recommend? — Lou Gutierrez / via e-mail

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What's Better: One Subwoofer or Two?
Al Griffin  |  Jul 10, 2014  |  17 comments
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Q If I have a budget of $1500 to buy a subwoofer, should I buy one great sub or two good $750 subs? They would be used equally for both movies and music. Also, how do you connect more than one subwoofer to receiver? —Raphaël Rainville, Montréal QC, Canada 

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What’s Expanded Color and Do I Need to Calibrate My TV for It?
Al Griffin  |  Jan 16, 2014  |  0 comments
Q Sony has produced some Blu-ray discs that are mastered at 4K resolution and have an expanded color gamut called xvYCC. Is this the same thing as Deep Color or the DCI color space on Panasonic Plasma TVs?  Also, do I need to calibrate my TV for xvYCC, Deep Color, or DCI instead of the Rec. 709 color space to see expanded color with these discs?— William Lee via email
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What’s it Take to Upgrade to Auro-3D Surround?
Al Griffin  |  Aug 30, 2022  |  8 comments
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Q I currently have a Dolby Atmos/DTS-X 7.1.4 speaker setup that uses a Marantz SR7011 A/V receiver, which I'm interested in upgrading to Auro-3D. Can Auro-3D decode/convert Atmos and DTS-X? And should I set up the ceiling speakers the way Auro-3D suggests or leave them in their Dolby Atmos recommended positions? After reading several articles praising the immersive sound quality of Auro-3D, I’m anxious to check it out. —Dave Davey, Mount Arlington, NJ

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What’s My Best Option for Storing Music in the Cloud?
Al Griffin  |  Mar 26, 2015  |  3 comments
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Q I am trying to figure out if I can use Dropbox to store both my Rdio Favorites collection and iTunes library. I have a huge iTunes library—around 600 GB. I would like to give a few friends and relatives access to the music. Is this possible?  —Jim Gold

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What’s New About Extended Color TVs?
Al Griffin  |  May 05, 2016  |  3 comments
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Q Is extended color really new? My current set already offers that feature by being Deep Color and xvYCC compatible. I thought the deal was that few people could notice the difference, and extended color didn’t catch on. What’s really new this time around? —Doug Allred / Jamestown, NC

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What’s New for AV Receivers in 2016?
Al Griffin  |  Mar 16, 2016  |  21 comments
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Q What new features are coming to AV receivers in 2016? I guess my question is more about what features might be missing from 2015 models, which already have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth aptX, Airplay, High-res FLAC and DSD support, 4K pass-through, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X processing. I am interested in the latest Marantz receivers, specifically the NR-1506 and SR-5010, but noticed that those models were announced back in June 2015. Should I wait for new 2016 models? —Jason York

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What’s the Best Blu-ray-to-Processor Connection for Listening to SACDs?
Al Griffin  |  Apr 03, 2014  |  7 comments
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Q I just bought an Oppo BDP-103 universal player and am connecting it to a Marantz AV7005 pre/pro. How do I make sure the signal gets through when playing SACDs? Use the analog RCA outputs, or can HDMI handle it? —Mike Groft / via e-mail

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What’s the Best Path to Structured Wiring?
Al Griffin  |  May 05, 2015  |  3 comments
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Q I’m considering buying a home where the builder has options for structured wiring. The markup on this option seems a little high (a few hundred dollars to go from 16-gauge to 12-gauge speaker wire, etc.). I know the best time to run wire is during the construction process, but what is the best way to accomplish it: builder, custom installer, or DIY? One major concern is that the exterior walls will have spray-foam insulation, so once that’s in, I’m thinking those walls are hands-off.—Mike Sellers / Tomball, TX

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