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<rss version="2.0"><channel><title>Audioholics Reviews and News from Audioholics</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com</link><description>Where audio and video equipment undergoes rigorous objective and subjective tests by our staff, ensuring that marketing slogans aren't the only guidelines for your home theater choices.</description><lastBuildDate>Thu, 28 Mar 2013 08:55:00 -0000</lastBuildDate><item><title>Tip of the Day: Developing a Home Theater Budget</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/tip-of-the-day-budget-properly</link><description>For a custom installer, one of the most important parts of any bid is to set the client's budget expectations promptly and accurately. For someone who doesn't work on home theater systems for a living, the list of components needed is typically quite small. The average consumer will budget for a display, speakers, receiver, Blu-ray player, and cables. But that leaves out a large portion of expenses that can drive up the price of the project significantly. In the professional world I used to advise clients at a 30/30/30 starting point. 30% of the budget would be spent on the display, 30% on sound, and 30% on everything else (Yes, I know that leaves 10% left over. I'm not that base). Over the years I started to modify the budget, especially thanks to decreasing display prices, but the general idea remained the same. The goal was to get clients thinking about all of the small things that are needed to successfully build a home theater. As much as we would love to spend the entire budget on speakers and a display, that would leave us with nothing to watch and no way to power the speakers. With that mindset, below is a list of things to consider when building your own home theater system.</description><pubDate>Thu, 28 Mar 2013 08:55:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/tip-of-the-day-budget-properly</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>How to Choose a Flat Panel TV Wall Mount</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/choose-a-wall-mount</link><description>Choosing a TV wall mount can be a difficult decision because there are many different sizes, brands, and types of mounts. This guide breaks down the three most common types of mounts, full-motion/articulating, tilting, and low-profile, and then provides a few tips on what to look for in a good wall mount. Ultimately, as long as the wall mount you purchase is rated to handle your TV you shouldn’t worry about the TV falling off the wall. All of the extra features we talked about are great to have, but not always necessary. The real trick is knowing how to install the TV so it is secure and looks good. There are a lot of specialty mounts not covered in this article. The best place to find detailed information is on the manufacturer's website. If you take a look at some of the major manufacturers like Peerless, Sanus, Chief, and Omnimount you should be able to find a solution that fits your needs.</description><pubDate>Fri, 16 Nov 2012 06:05:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/choose-a-wall-mount</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>Internet Direct Speaker Brand Comparison</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/internet-direct-comparison</link><description>Internet direct (ID) speaker manufacturers are often considered to provide the ultimate value in audio.  However, sometimes there are hidden costs associated with their products that may nullify the advantage of cutting out the middle man. Going from a vinyl to veneer finish may significantly increase price. Speaker grilles may cost extra or shipping might add few hundred dollars to the bill, and what about the ability to return the speakers if you don't like them? We decided to compare the policies of most major Internet direct brands in an effort to help consumers make an informed decision about what they buy and whom they buy it from. We put together a table that directly compares each brand and then wrote a detailed description of their associated policies. We hope this article will help you make a more informed decision when purchasing speakers from an Internet direct manufacturer. You may be surprised at what we found and please share your experiences with these brands in the dedicated forum thread for this article.</description><pubDate>Sun, 04 Nov 2012 22:55:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/internet-direct-comparison</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>How to Pick the Right Loudspeakers</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/right-loudspeakers</link><description>This is a simple, direct (but accurate) guide about everything an inexperienced shopper needs to know when choosing speakers for their home theater system. We discuss the various speaker options that are best suited for particular applications or budgets along with citing examples.  If you’ve got an family member or friend that needs advise on a pinch, just print this article out and hand it to them. It even has nice pictures to supplement the text making for a more pleasant read. Your brother-in-law will be so grateful that he’ll buy you dinner (for once!) and you’ll look like the pro that you are for explaining it so clearly and thoroughly. Help a budding Audioholic today by empowering them with the knowledge of choosing the right speaker system for their needs.  </description><pubDate>Wed, 06 Jun 2012 01:01:48 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/right-loudspeakers</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>Buying the Right Kindle Cover</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/buying-right-kindle-cover</link><description>So you bought a Kindle. Welcome to the new way to read. The Kindle is a phenomenal product that is revolutionizing the way we read and store books. On top of that, it's gaining even more traction as "cloud computing" becomes more and more mainstream and consumers look to digital consolidation for all of their reading materials. This is especially true for students and those who would need a large amount of reference material. But like all new implementations of portable electronic technology, the Kindle needs to be protected - unless you don't mind having to buy a new one if you drop it accidentally. We surveyed the landscape of Kindle covers and located 5 solid solutions that we really feel top the charts for users of all different walks of life.</description><pubDate>Mon, 24 Oct 2011 12:20:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/buying-right-kindle-cover</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>LED Lamps to Replace Incandescent Bulbs - But When?</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/led-lamps-replace-incandescent-bulbs</link><description>Have you been keeping up with the LED lighting movement? I'd even go so far as to call it a "transition". The future is here - it's just a tad expensive right now. What is driving consumer and professional fascination with LED bulb technology is that it lasts longer, uses less power and should, eventually, cost less. LED lamps produce more light than heat - and that means they are more efficient. They are also safer - both for you (they don't shatter) and for the environment (they are toxin-free). You can also run LED lighting with existing dimmers. Right now they have a higher threshold for dimming than their incandescent counterparts, but they do indeed dim. The other thing we like about LED lighting is that it doesn't require the expense or bulk of a ballast system. That's less to troubleshoot, and less to pay for. It also makes LED lamps smaller - giving them the potential of being used in some pretty creative and compact scenarios where fluorescent technology fell flat on its face. For home theater, LEDs represent the next logical step for projectors - and they've already made their way into the backlighting systems of flat screen televisions.</description><pubDate>Mon, 03 Oct 2011 08:10:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/led-lamps-replace-incandescent-bulbs</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>2011 $2000 A/V Receiver Comparison Guide </title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/2011-2000-a-v-receiver-comparison-guide</link><description>You asked for it, and now you have it. The new AVENTAGE RX-A3010 from Yamaha has got a lot of people asking, "How does it stack up?" Well, we'll tell you. We took the top offerings in the $2000 price point from Denon (AVR-4311CI) and Onkyo (TX-NR3008) and weighed them up. While we didn't really find any of them lacking, we're sure you have an opinion on them. </description><pubDate>Wed, 27 Jul 2011 10:00:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/2011-2000-a-v-receiver-comparison-guide</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>2011 $600 A/V Receiver Comparison Guide </title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/2011-600-a-v-receiver-comparison-guide</link><description>It's that time of year again and we're taking a look at the new receivers. At the $600 price point we have offerings from Onkyo, Yamaha, Pioneer, Marantz, Denon, and Harman Kardon (the TX-NR609, RX-V671, VSX-50, NR1602, AVR-2112CI, and AVR 2650 respectively). Most of these are within $50 of the target price though we gave a slight edge to the Harman offering by choosing an $800 offering. Will they crush the comparison with their extra MSRP? Things to expect at this price point - 3D, Audio Return Channel, HDMI upconversion, networking, tons of power, and two zones of audio. </description><pubDate>Wed, 13 Jul 2011 09:50:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/2011-600-a-v-receiver-comparison-guide</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>Revealing Flaws in the Loudspeaker Demo &amp; Double Blind Test</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/revealing-flaws-in-the-loudspeaker-demo-double-blind-test</link><description>What is the point of a listening test? For the listener, the intent is easy to identify. They are (often) thinking of buying a product. But when a short demo isn't enough, what options do you have? The obvious solution is third party validation. Manufacturers will often try to sell you the line that their speakers are as good as speakers many times their price. They'll even run their own tests (often Single or Double Blind) to prove that the participants couldn't hear a difference between their and another speaker. But what are they really saying? We break it down for you and show how these claims prey on people's lack of statistical understanding.</description><pubDate>Tue, 28 Jun 2011 10:00:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/revealing-flaws-in-the-loudspeaker-demo-double-blind-test</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>iPhone 4 Case Roundup and Buying Guide</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/iphone-4-case-roundup-buying-guide</link><description>With the announcement that the iPhone is likely coming to Verizon shortly, there is sure to be an influx of new iPhone 4 users in the next quarter. Those users will come from one of two places: either new users who are jumping ship from AT&amp;T to experience iPhone use on the Verizon Network, or existing Verizon customers who are going to take advantage of renewing their contracts with an iPhone 4. In either case, there are going to be lots of new iPhone 4 consumers who will need to protect their new investment. We solicited cases from most of the major players and experienced a near-full array of what's available for the iPhone 4. Some cases really impressed us. Others came across as more or less standard fare and nothing short of what you'd expect for any new smart phone. To make this process simple, we'll list each case here and talk briefly about our experiences, giving an overall opinion as well as the general pros and cons of each product.</description><pubDate>Fri, 10 Dec 2010 07:00:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/iphone-4-case-roundup-buying-guide</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>2010 $1000 A/V Receiver Comparison Guide</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/2010-1000-a-v-receiver-comparison-guide</link><description>For many years now, you could say you weren't really playing with the big boys until you stepped up to a $1000 receiver. All of these receivers will have HDMI 1.4 inputs and outputs, all of which support 3D. You're going to get an onscreen display over HDMI standard and can expect video upconversion and scaling from analogue to HDMI 1080p. While your entry level receivers have to cut a lot of corners and at the $500 price point you find manufactures picking a focus, here, you get a lot more. Networking, multizone, THX certification, auto setup and calibration, and tons of extras. To help you out with your decision, we're taking a close look at offerings from Denon, Marantz, Yamaha, Onkyo, Pioneer, Sony, and Harman Kardon.</description><pubDate>Wed, 01 Dec 2010 18:50:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/2010-1000-a-v-receiver-comparison-guide</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>2010 Entry Level A/V Receiver Comparison Guide</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/2010-entry-level-a-v-receiver-comparison-guide</link><description>While we tend to think that the sweet spot in receivers is the $500 price point (hence the reason we started with that comparison article), the fact is, some people are just looking for something. Anything. Maybe it's for them and they are on a serious budget. Maybe it's for their parents or their kids or some other secondary use. The key is that it has to be cheap. While a few years ago, the entry level receivers had little more than stereo inputs and Dolby ProLogic, these days you can get 3D capable HDMI inputs, discrete amps, and onscreen displays. We've again hit all the major players (except for Harman Kardon, their "budget" surround receiver was in the $500 comparison) with Denon, Marantz, Yamaha, Onkyo, Pioneer, Sherwood, and Sony in the mix. Prices range from a low of $229 to a high of $399.</description><pubDate>Fri, 26 Nov 2010 01:00:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/2010-entry-level-a-v-receiver-comparison-guide</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>2010 $500 A/V Receiver Comparison Guide</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/2010-500-receiver-comparison-guide</link><description>We love a good comparison so you'll forgive us if we got a little exuberant with this one. The ~$500 price point is a popular one for A/V receivers and just about every manufacturer has a receiver around that price. Instead of leaving out manufacturers that had a receiver a little under or over the price point, we just included everyone's offerings.This year's models range in price from a low of $479 to a high of $599. While that's only a $120 variance, it's an over 20% difference. If you'd paid 20% more for your car, you'd expect a serious improvement. Hitting the ~$500 price point means that the convenience features are going to be key since manufacturers will have to pick and choose what is most important to them. Read on for our take on the receiver offerings around $500 from Denon, Pioneer, Onkyo, Harman Kardon, Sherwood, Marantz, Yamaha, and Sony.</description><pubDate>Wed, 17 Nov 2010 16:00:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/2010-500-receiver-comparison-guide</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>How to Skew a Blind Listening Test</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/how-to-skew-a-blind-listening-test</link><description>Setting up a blind test is easy right? Or is it? While many people will take the most well known precautions, they often forget or don't know about some of the others than can seriously affect the outcome of the test. Here are some lesser known things to remember when you set up your listening test for comparing loudspeakers.</description><pubDate>Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:15:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/how-to-skew-a-blind-listening-test</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>2009 $500 Receiver Comparison Guide</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/2009-500-receiver-comparison-guide</link><description>In a continuing effort to demystify your receiver choices, we come to a price point that is probably one of the most popular - around $500. In this comparison, we'll be looking at receivers from Denon, Onkyo, Pioneer, and Yamaha. At the near $500 price point, manufacturers have a bit more room to play with features and their design philosophies become pretty apparent.</description><pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:00:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/2009-500-receiver-comparison-guide</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>2009 $750 Receiver Comparison Guide</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/2009-750-receiver-comparison-guide</link><description>In this comparison article we look at receivers around the $750 price point. We have offerings from Yamaha and Harman Kardon at $649, Pioneer at $699, and Denon, Marantz, and Sherwood Newcastle at $799. While you'd think that the differences in receivers at this price point would be a matter of inches, you'd be wrong. Manufacturers are trying pretty hard to differentiate themselves. The question is - what do you need?</description><pubDate>Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:25:52 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/2009-750-receiver-comparison-guide</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>2009 Entry Level Receivers Comparison Guide</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/entry-level-receivers-comparison-guide</link><description>In a budget receiver, you are looking for the most bang for your buck. What you will need to focus on is what you actually need. Many of the receivers are limited in their compatibility and functionality based on price point. The trick is to clearly know what you need so that you are getting it all in the receiver you choose. These units from Denon, Harman Kardon, Onyko, Pioneer, and Yamaha represent the first tier in their receiver lines. </description><pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2009 08:40:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/entry-level-receivers-comparison-guide</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>Digital Converter Box Comparison &amp; Shootout</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/digital-converter-box-comparison-shootout</link><description>Looking for a digital TV converter box can be a daunting task as every store seems to have their own brands.  And with a proliferation of boxes on the internet, which ones work with those $40 government coupons…  If so, how well do they work? Features? Quality? Ease of use? Affordability? Audioholics compares five popular boxes to analyze the facts and details and help you make the best choice!</description><pubDate>Sun, 03 May 2009 23:00:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/digital-converter-box-comparison-shootout</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>Rock Band &amp; Guitar Hero Instrument Compatibility Guide</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/rock-band-guitar-hero-instrument-compatibility-guide</link><description>Rock Band and Guitar Hero are two games we enjoy very much at Audioholics. But there are four platforms for the game, a number of instruments, and now third party hardware. Add it up and you have a compatibility matrix worthy of the best mathematicians in the country. We wanted to know what instruments would work with what games... and on what platforms. Unlike the gaming industry, which thinks I actually care about the hardware or which brand of game I'm playing, I'm all about the MUSIC. If I am an Aerosmith fan I want to pick up my guitar and play Aerosmith. I don't care whether or not that band signed with Harmonix or Activision. I may care that they left off some of their greatest songs and that the game doesn't allow me to play drums or sing...</description><pubDate>Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:03:44 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/rock-band-guitar-hero-instrument-compatibility-guide</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>Setting up a Speaker Shootout or Component Comparison the Right Way</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/speaker-shootout-component-comparison-right</link><description>In preparation for the forthcoming speaker shootout, we thought it'd be a good idea to explore the correct way to set one up. One of the most popular articles we ever write on Audioholics is speaker or cable shootouts. Shootouts are really just a comparison of two or more products. This sounds like a fairly straightforward process where you place two competing products in the same room and take a listen/look. But the reality is that it is much more complicated. </description><pubDate>Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:30:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/speaker-shootout-component-comparison-right</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>What Size Screen or Television Do I Need?</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/what-size-screen-display</link><description>We get asked this question alot and we have, in fact, addressed it during the course of various projector and flat panel reviews. It is an important topic, however, and we feel that it is truly worthy of some personal attention - especially given these times of rapidly dropping flat panel display prices. While many believe that "bigger is always better," getting the right screen size means that you can truly optimize your home theater budget and allocate your money in teh best way possible to make sure you get the best visuals and sound possible. We'll take you through several ways to effectively determine the best screen size for your room, and give you some general guidelines for figuring out your own needs.</description><pubDate>Thu, 21 Feb 2008 14:42:41 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/what-size-screen-display</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>How to Shop for an AV Receiver</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/how-to-shop-for-an-av-receiver</link><description>With such a wide selection of A/V receivers on the market these days, it's difficult to know which model is right for you. Before getting into all of the tech specs and features, its important to first define how you will use this product.  This article is a 7 step guide to choosing the right A/V receiver.  As you will see in this guide, the decision making process weighs heavily on the type of HDMI connectivity and support you require.  </description><pubDate>Fri, 15 Feb 2008 05:33:26 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/how-to-shop-for-an-av-receiver</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>How to Shop for Televisions &amp; Displays</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/how-to-shop-for-televisions-displays</link><description>We’ve received numerous emails, and indeed they come in almost daily, inquiring about the best televisions, which format is better and how to determine if Set A is better than Set B. These seem to be videophyte questions, however almost anyone shopping for a new display or television will run into many of the same issues.</description><pubDate>Fri, 17 Aug 2007 01:00:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/how-to-shop-for-televisions-displays</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>How To Shop Loudspeakers</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/how-to-shop-loudspeakers.html</link><description>Shopping for a new speaker system is a lot like buying a new car. One must always find the right balance between performance, aesthetics and practicality while keeping within their budgetary constraints. Unfortunately looks can often tell very little about loudspeaker performance. In fact, some of the best looking, highest priced designs often look much better than they sound. The purpose of this article is to help the average home theater enthusiast pick and chose the right system based on their needs and budget.</description><pubDate>Thu, 16 Aug 2007 01:01:07 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/how-to-shop-loudspeakers.html</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>AV Processor Receiver Checklists</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/av-processor-receiver-checklists</link><description>We provide an ongoing series of documents outlining the feature sets on the products we review. This enables consumers the ability to ensure the products they are interested in have the functions they want and need.</description><pubDate>Wed, 14 Mar 2007 18:35:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/av-processor-receiver-checklists</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>Budgeting Your Home Theater</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/ask-dr-a-the-budget-dance</link><description>Is there some kind of accepted price/performance ratio between components? For example, if I am buying a $3000 set of home theater speakers is it pure heresy to hook them up to a $900 receiver? What price point amplifier would be appropriate? I know most of this is subjective, but would you buy a $900 DVD player to connect to a TV that cost only $1000?</description><pubDate>Mon, 01 Jan 2007 01:00:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/ask-dr-a-the-budget-dance</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>Top Ten Loudspeaker Gimmicks to Avoid</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/avoiding-loudspeaker-gimmicks</link><description>We decided to visit some of our local dealers to observe and listen to their latest offerings of electronics and speakers. It seems lately that more and more gimmicks are surfacing in the audio world and the consumers are letting the industry get away with it.  It is sad to see so many companies are simply implementing what we call "cookie cutter" designs.  What we mean by this is that they are actually not designing loudspeakers. Instead, they are implementing design guidelines set forth by driver manufacturers that specify types of crossovers and enclosure dimensions to use with their drivers. Many of these so called loudspeaker "designers" don't have the proper test equipment and engineering technical staff and necessary tools to accurately design and measure their loudspeakers performance.</description><pubDate>Sat, 25 Nov 2006 15:47:09 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/avoiding-loudspeaker-gimmicks</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>Audio Terms and Definitions</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/audio-terms-and-definitions</link><description>Audio terminology can be very confusing and ambiguous. Below is a basic list of most common words related to audio specifications and terminology.</description><pubDate>Thu, 09 Nov 2006 11:31:48 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/audio-terms-and-definitions</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>DVD Player Checklist</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/dvd-player-checklist</link><description>This document will allow consumers to look through the features and functions of the many DVD players we have reviewed and see which models have the options and specs they are looking for. Use this as a helpful aid in your shopping.</description><pubDate>Thu, 09 Nov 2006 11:31:48 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/dvd-player-checklist</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>Top 10 "Must Haves" in a Media Center</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/top-10-must-haves-in-a-media-center</link><description>In a world with dozens of media center manufacturers and hundreds of choices, picking out a media center can be confusing. What features should I look for? Which ones do I really need, and which ones are just "icing on the cake?" Here are the top 10 Premium Features that we think media centers must have...</description><pubDate>Mon, 09 Oct 2006 01:00:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/top-10-must-haves-in-a-media-center</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>Common HTPC / Media Center Myths – NOT Just a PC</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/common-htpc-media-center-myths-2013-not-just-a-pc</link><description>Arguably, Media Centers are currently the most misunderstood home theater components available in the marketplace today. Yet, media centers are also one of the most revolutionary home theater products available. Why is there this huge discrepancy? Unfortunately, the term "   Media   Center   " is used by many manufacturers for products that could arguably never possibly act as a home theater device.</description><pubDate>Mon, 25 Sep 2006 01:00:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/common-htpc-media-center-myths-2013-not-just-a-pc</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>Ten Biggest Mistakes of Speaker and Home Theater Shopping</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/ten-biggest-mistakes-of-speaker-and-home-theater-shopping</link><description>If that major electronics brand knows how to build CD players, audio/video receivers or TV monitors, they must know how to design and build excellent loudspeakers, right? Not always.</description><pubDate>Wed, 12 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/ten-biggest-mistakes-of-speaker-and-home-theater-shopping</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>Playstation 3 vs. Xbox 360</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/playstation-3-vs-xbox-360</link><description>We decided to give a quick run-down of the differences and similarities between the two platforms based on the information that is now wildly circulating around the Internet. This could be considered the Playstation 3 vs. Xbox 360 comparison for all who are looking to make a purchase this coming year.</description><pubDate>Wed, 18 May 2005 01:00:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/playstation-3-vs-xbox-360</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>Cable Budget Guidelines</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/cable-budget-guidelines</link><description> We have been receiving numerous emails about how one should budget their spending on interconnects and  speaker cables  . Thus this has…</description><pubDate>Thu, 26 Aug 2004 01:00:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/cable-budget-guidelines</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>Home Theater Furniture 101</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/home-theater-furniture-101</link><description>Today's home theater is nothing like it used to be. There was a time that your hi-tech entertainment system was simply a TV in a corner. Now you toss in a DVD player, surround sound system, digital video recorder, and the like, and your home theater has grown to proportions your parents would have never dreamed of.</description><pubDate>Thu, 26 Aug 2004 01:00:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/home-theater-furniture-101</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>AV Receivers Buying Guide</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/av-receivers-buying-guide</link><description>The purpose of this guideline is to educate the consumer about Home Theater A/V Receivers to assist them in purchasing the best product for their money when buying time is evident.</description><pubDate>Thu, 26 Aug 2004 01:00:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/av-receivers-buying-guide</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>DVD/CD Players Buying Guide</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/dvd-cd-players-buying-guide</link><description>Choosing the right DVD player is not a trivial matter in a market flooded with products from various hardware vendors. There are more than several players to choose from in each price category and the notion of spending more money will buy you better performance does not always apply here, especially when DVD players are concerned.</description><pubDate>Thu, 26 Aug 2004 01:00:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/dvd-cd-players-buying-guide</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item><item><title>Loudspeakers Buying Guide</title><link>http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/how-to-shop/loudspeakers-buying-guide</link><description>A loudspeaker is an electromechanical transducer that converts electrical energy into mechanical vibrations. One would think this process is trivial enough to produce similar results in all loudspeakers. In an ideal world this may be possible. However, we do not live in an ideal world.</description><pubDate>Sun, 20 Oct 2002 01:00:00 -0000</pubDate><guid>/buying-guides/how-to-shop/loudspeakers-buying-guide</guid><category>How to Shop</category><category>What to Buy</category></item></channel></rss>