Al Griffin

New Products
Denon Launches 8K-Compatible S-Series A/V Receiver
Al Griffin  |  Jun 30, 2020  |  0 comments
Denon has announced a new 8K-compatible addition to its affordable S-Series family of A/V receivers, the 7.2-channel AVR-S960H ($649). The new model, which will arrive in July, follows the company’s recent update of its premium X-Series AVR line earlier this month.
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New Products
JBL’s New HDI Series Loudspeakers Now Available
Al Griffin  |  Jun 30, 2020  |  0 comments
The JBL HDI Series speaker line that we first reported on at CEDIA Expo 2019 is now available. The new speakers feature the company's patented 2410H-2 compression driver compression driver technology and High Definition Imaging waveguide and are available in a trio of striking finishes including painted high-gloss black, satin walnut wood veneer, and satin gray oak wood veneer.
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New Products
Bowers & Wilkins Unveils 700 Series Signature Loudspeakers
Al Griffin  |  Jun 26, 2020  |  0 comments
British manufacturer Bowers & Wilkins has introduced Signature versions of loudspeakers from its 700 Series: the floor-standing 702 Signature and standmount 705 Signature. With upgraded crossovers and a luxurious cabinet finish, both models “represent the apex of current Bowers & Wilkins design, engineering and manufacturing processes.”
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Ask S&V
What Does Local Dimming Do on a TV?
Al Griffin  |  Jun 23, 2020  |  0 comments
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I have a Vizio TV, model number D48f-E0. The company’s specs say that it’s a “Full Array LED display.” It also has a “Backlight Control” in its picture settings menu that automatically dims or brightens the backlight during viewing. Is this feature the same thing as local dimming? I’m confused here — if backlight control and local dimming are separate features, what’s the difference between them? —James Paxton, via email

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Audio Video News
Naim Adds Qobuz to Mu-so Gen 2 Wireless Speakers
Al Griffin  |  Jun 19, 2020  |  0 comments
British hi-fi firm Naim has added native support for Qobuz high-res music streaming to its 2nd generation Mu-so family wireless music systems, the Mu-so 2 and Mu-so Qb, both Sound & Vision 2019 Top Picks. The service is available now via an over-the-air firmware upgrade that users can download for free.
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New Products
PlayStation 5: Your New Ultra HD Blu-ray Player?
Al Griffin  |  Jun 15, 2020  |  0 comments
While interest in movies on disc continues to be strong even with the massive growth of streaming, there’s been a deficit of new disc players to choose from. We’ve recommended models from Panasonic and Pioneer semi-recently, but with no new Ultra HD Blu-ray players unveiled at CES 2020, there's nothing from that category in our review queue at present. Hmm, what about this new PlayStation 5 thing everyone’s been talking about?
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Audio Video News
Father’s Day: A/V Deals to Die For
Al Griffin  |  Jun 12, 2020  |  2 comments
Let’s hear it for dad! When I was a kid, mine smoked in the car while driving my brothers and I to and from Little League baseball, cursed a blue streak, and would whap us upside the head if we dared cuss in his presence. But we knew he loved us unconditionally, and we loved him unconditionally back.

Haven’t sorted out your Father’s Day gift plans? We’ve got two great deals you should hear about.

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Ask S&V
Should I Use My Subwoofer’s LFE or Line Input Connections?
Al Griffin  |  Jun 09, 2020  |  0 comments
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I have a Yamaha RX-A880 A/V receiver and a Polk Audio HTS-10 subwoofer. Can I connect the AVR's dual subwoofer outputs to the sub’s left/right Line In inputs instead of using its LFE input? Also, is there any benefit to connecting both the AVR’s subwoofer outputs to the HTS-10's LFE input using a Y-cable? —Power Bass / via email

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New Products
Denon Updates X-Series A/V Receiver Line
Al Griffin  |  Jun 04, 2020  |  4 comments
A return to regular? While there are always aspects of “regular life” that could benefit from change, getting back to our routines is something some of us could use right now, and what could be more routine—and reassuring—than an A/V receiver manufacturer updating its lineup with the latest tech? To that end, Denon has announced four additions to its X-Series A/V receiver family. Touted by the company as “the industry’s first 8K-ready A/V receivers,” the new models join the company’s AVR-X8500H, which lives on as the flagship X-Series receiver.
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Audio Video News
HBO Max App Available on Sony Android TVs
Al Griffin  |  Jun 01, 2020  |  2 comments
When we reported on the launch of HBO Max last Wednesday, one shortcoming of the new service that we noted was spotty streaming hardware support. Smart TVs, in particular, had been left behind, with only one set manufacturer, Samsung, included in the list of supported devices on the HBO Max FAQ at launch. The day following our post, Sony reached out to share an announcement that the HBO Max app is now available on all Sony Android TVs released after 2015, upping the number of supported TV lines to two. But what about the other brands?
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