Audioholics Featured Reviews & Articles

It is easy to see how Denon has targeted their new '13 IN-Command receivers. The difference in price, rather than adding features that you wanted at all price points, adds additional power and connections. This means that the consumer (or custom installer) can pay for exactly what they need in terms of connections without sacrificing all the cool streaming and upscaling features in the process. We like this idea and hope that it resonates with consumers. With 3D and 4k support, 4k upscaling, Audyssey MultEQ XT, discrete amplification, Apple AirPlay and a host of streaming features on all models, all you need to do is pick the one that matches your connection needs without having to sacrifice features.

The Marantz NR1403 is a bare bones receiver with some of the best bones we've ever seen. With discrete amplification, tons of HDMI inputs, and Audyssey MultEQ, it is a new buyer's dream at $400. But if you want more, Marantz has it with the NR1603. Adding video upconversion, two channels of amplification, a second zone, Apple AirPlay and other streaming options, you are getting a lot for your additional $250. Add to that the attractive slimline case and you've got a product that will be turning heads not only of first time buyers but those that are looking for a second (or third) receiver. Great looks and features, reasonably priced, compact form factor, and carrying the Marantz name- what's not to like?

Now before you start to think about all the reasons why a front projector may not be the best solution for you, let's take a look at this model, the Acer H6500. It's a 1080p DLP projector with 2100 lumens and it only costs $899. Given that you can pick up a starter screen for around $300, or even roll your own, that's a bright 100" display for $1000 or so. Where are you gonna find that kind of value in a flat panel TV? The H6500 lacks some home theater functions that might be important to you, like advanced video processing and auto-iris. At the same time it's ultra-portable, super-bright, and puts out a beautiful picture. It doesn't have lens shift or much zoom on the lens, so you're looking at a tabletop or ceiling mount installation. A rear shelf probably won't work. We think the H6500 is a great solution for those looking for a living room system - an inexpensive TV killer. If you want only the best, then keep shopping, but expect to pay a lot more as well.

We recently installed a brand new car audio system as part of a "Pimp Mom's Car" feature in honor of Mother's Day. I mean, Mom had gotten her share of flowers and chocolates - why not go for something different this year? In writing the article and installing the system, there was a clear difference between the stock and finished stereo. It was "night and day", as the saying goes - and when we were done there was no doubt that the audio quality was vastly improved. So much, in fact, that we didn't understand why anyone would drive around with their cars' stock audio solution when, for just a small amount of money and effort, they could upgrade to something much better.

The Pioneer SE-MJ591 Stereo Headphones are, hands down, the best sounding earphones I've ever had the pleasure of testing. The imaging is phenomenal and rivals my experiences with $20k a pair electrostatic speakers. The sound quality is rich and vibrant and, if you are anything like me, you'll start rediscovering your music collection. They are designed for both critical listening and portability, making them perfect for multiple applications. While they'll reveal all the flaws in your poorly recorded/encoded music, they'll also reveal all the beauty in the high-quality recordings. I didn't find them very comfortable to wear, though you may feel differently. At $300, these aren't inexpensive headphones but, if you care about sound quality, you'll likely feel it is money well spent.

From a distance, the trailers and marketing materials announcing Dominic Sena's Season of the Witch indeed looked promising and perhaps beyond mildly entertaining – sure, the title shared the subhead of the 1980s franchise-breaker Halloween III: Season of the Witch, starring the great character actor Tom Atkins, but the clips of the film from pre-release shots and teasers suggested hyper-aggressive demons, CGI-endowed werewolves a la Van Helsing and some butt-kickin’ crusaders from the middle ages era doing justice the only way they know how. A couple of issues abounded, though – first of all, I didn’t see Nicolas Cage in this kind of film or role, but from what I gathered, he needed a quick payday due to some personal and financial issues. Alas, his performance in this justifies my reservations, as his dialogue delivery and overall presence just seems way out of place.

AirPlay has been a technology we've been extremely impressed by. If you're in the apple ecosystem it's bound to be a part of your life if you're buying current AV products and love the idea of streaming music wirelessly. Logitech just released their first AirPlay-enabled speaker, the Logitech UE Air Speaker. The UE is Logitech's abbreviation of a company they purchased back in '08, called Ultimate Ears. The Air Speaker, which looks like the business end of a Hammerhead shark, is pretty cool-looking, with minimal buttons and an integrated iPhone/iPod dock that retracts into the base when not used.

DISH released it's iOS and Android Remote Access apps some time ago. To be perfectly honest, they got the job done, but didn't offer much in the way of stability or efficient use of the platforms. Now, DISH has completely reengineered the iOS app to take advantage of the iPad's larger screen - and also to address multi-tasking and ease-of-use. The new (and still free) app improves the performance and enhances the on-screen dashboard so customers can easily find and watch their favorite programs. Customers can continue to watch live and recorded TV anytime, anywhere using the app in concert with an Internet-connected DISH receiver and a Sling Adapter. On the iPad, DISH offers the added ability to stream thousands of titles from an expansive on-demand library of Blockbuster @Home titles and premium networks.

Diablo 3 may be the most anticipated game of the decade, arriving 12 years after its predecessor - now it's finally here! The PC-only video game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment continued its point-and-click, hack and slash fest last night at 12:01 AM PST. Die-hard fans either attended late night sale events or were downloading and installing the game at the stroke of midnight. Unfortunately for those of us on easterly time zones we had to wait considerably longer than midnight to actually play. Blizzard’s Battle.net servers hosting the online-only game were delivering an alarming Error 33, warning users that the game is not available yet. Considering Diablo 3 was first announced back in 2008 with no release date in site, a few more hours can’t hurt.