Bob Ankosko

Audio Video News
Live Streaming: Welcome to the New Normal in Concertgoing (for Now)
Bob Ankosko  |  Apr 02, 2020  |  0 comments
In case you haven’t noticed, live streaming has replaced concerts as the new normal and, though, it may not be ideal (what is these days?), it provides an intimate glimpse of artists performing at home without the grandeur of a live show with its pulsating lights and smoke machines.
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Audio Video NewsHome Movie Theaters
The Story Behind this Intriguing Video Wall
Bob Ankosko  |  Mar 23, 2020  |  2 comments
You’re probably asking the same question we asked when we saw this tantalizing video wall: How’s it work?
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Vintage Gear
When You Find a Pristine Piece of Audio History
Bob Ankosko  |  Mar 19, 2020  |  7 comments
Every now and then something really special comes along. Like finding a 50-year-old piece of audio history, never used and sitting in its original sealed box, complete with the original packing, owner’s manual, and shipping label.
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Vintage GearAudio Video News
Enter the (Nakamichi) Dragon
Bob Ankosko  |  Mar 06, 2020  |  3 comments
It’s always interesting to see what new treasures turn up at New Jersey-based vintage hi-fi specialist SkyFi Audio. There’s certainly no shortage of gear to drool over — like the 1963 Fisher SA-1000 tube amp. Or the Nakamichi Dragon we spotted on the “just arrived” list.
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The S&V InterviewAudio Video NewsPremiere Design
Ascendo’s Seismic Subwoofer Is a Modern Marvel
Bob Ankosko  |  Feb 25, 2020  |  5 comments
There’s no denying the lure of powerful, deep, visceral bass. How it pulls you into the action. How it scares the living hell out of you. How it makes music real. We were so intrigued by the beastly 6-foot-tall SMSG50 super subwoofer designed and built by Germany’s Ascendo Immersive Audio that we had to dig deeper. We wanted to know what it takes to design and build a subwoofer of this caliber — one capable of producing peak levels up to 140 dB and deliver 105 dB of sound pressure at 5 Hz. Is a subwoofer that weighs 441 pounds and uses a single 50-inch (!) driver to plumb the infrasonic depths really better than a model of more manageable size with maybe a few 18-inch drivers? We caught up with Geoffrey Heinzel, partner and director of international sales and marketing for Ascendo, to learn more about this modern marvel.
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Wireless Multiroom Speaker Reviews
Naim Mu-so QB 2nd Generation Wireless Music System
Bob Ankosko  |  Dec 18, 2019  |  0 comments

Performance
Features
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $900

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Compact
Built like a tank
Elegant fit and finish
Excellent sound quality
Minus
Sound can be a little bright
App isn’t always intuitive
Pricey

THE VERDICT
U.K.’s Naim Audio has made the awesome Mu-so QB even better with expanded streaming options and streamlined operation.

I loved Naim’s Mu-so QB when I reviewed it a couple years ago so I couldn’t wait to try out the “re-engineered” second-generation QB, which except for a new gray-aluminum top and slightly different grille fabric looks pretty much the same as the original — which is to say as compact and sexy as ever.

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Headphone Reviews
A Touch of Class: Meze Audio 99 Classics Headphones
Bob Ankosko  |  Dec 05, 2019  |  0 comments

Performance
Build Quality
Comfort
Value
PRICE $309

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Rich, detailed sound
Solid bass
Elegant fit and finish
Light and comfortable
Minus
A little pricey

THE VERDICT
The 99 Classics check all the right boxes: They’re light and comfortable, beautifully built, and sound great.

Endless fascination. That’s the best way to describe my recent obsession with the 50-year-old Beatles classic Abbey Road. I’ve listened to the album hundreds of times over the years on a variety of formats, starting with the original vinyl pressing, yet listening to Giles Martin’s tasteful and, ultimately, reverential remix is like hearing this magnificent collection of songs for the first time.

Of course, a good bit of the credit goes to Meze Audio’s stylish 99 Classics...

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Bluetooth Speaker Reviews
Simple Sound: Klipsch The One II Wireless Speaker
Bob Ankosko  |  Nov 07, 2019  |  0 comments

Performance
Features
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $289

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Elegant retro design
Excellent sound

Minus
No remote control
No internet radio or app
No multiroom capability

THE VERDICT
The One II is a smaller, streamlined follow-up to Klipsch’s excellent Three wireless speaker that sounds as good as it looks.

Speakers don’t sit idle at Klipsch. The company is always looking for ways to evolve its products. Case in point is the new One II wireless speaker, a scaled-down follow-up to the excellent Three wireless speaker we reviewed a couple years ago.

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Home Movie Theaters
Swiss Home Theater Keeps it Simple…and Stealth
Bob Ankosko  |  Oct 29, 2019  |  0 comments
Photos courtesy of homecinema GmbH.

The key to this stealth theater is maximum comfort and an understated, all-screen design.

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Headphone Reviews
Cleer Enduro 100: Wireless Headphones that Play On and On and On
Bob Ankosko  |  Oct 22, 2019  |  0 comments

Performance
Build Quality
Comfort
Value
PRICE $180

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Smooth, detailed sound
Solid construction
Light weight
Comfortable
Minus
Sound can be somewhat muted

THE VERDICT
Charging becomes a secondary concern with Cleer’s Enduro 100 wireless headphones thanks to an insanely long battery life.

I’ve been listening on and off for six days and the tiny battery in Cleer’s Enduro 100 wireless headphones is still going strong. Impressive. No question, headphones that need frequent recharging are…well, annoying and intrude on the freedom that comes with wireless listening.

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