http://www.audioholics.com/tweaks Pursuing the truth in audio & video. hourly 12 2006-12-01T00:00 http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/receivers/integra-dtr-30-1-20-1 Integra, the high end arm of Onkyo, has introduced two new AV receivers that are both price conscious and aimed squarely at custom installers. The two new models are the DTR-30.1 and DTR-20.1 and are 7.2 and 5.2 channels respectively. What makes them perfect for custom installers are bi-directional RS-232 and Ethernet ports for third party control systems, three programmable 12-volt triggers, dual IR inputs, and three unique assignable IR code sets. tom 2009-07-04T06:25:00+00:00 First Look http://www.audioholics.com/education/surround-sound/7-1-surround-sound Almost everyone loves surround sound, (except for an eccentric actor whom I know who actually prefers mono!) and what’s not to love? Our ears are on each side of our head, canted forward, but we hear sounds from every direction with almost equal precision. For that reason multi-channel sound reproduction is intrinsically more realistic and believable. But how many surround speakers are required to present a plausible illusion of the real thing? Alan Lofft 2009-07-03T09:12:52+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/news/press-releases/win-ed-a7-700-subwoofer Starting as of July 1st, 2009 and running until July 14th, 2009 Elemental Designs is running a contest in which they are offering up one A7-700 subwoofer. The A7-700 powered subwoofer features dual 15” high output drivers, the LT/1300 amplifier featuring ICE Power design, integrated bracing, and even with its weight tipping the scales at 250 lbs they are shipping it in the 48 CONUS free. clint 2009-07-03T07:50:05+00:00 Press Release http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/receivers/pioneer-elite-sc-27-25-vsx-21txh-23txh Pioneer is making four new additions to their Elite receivers with the introduction of the SC-27, SC-25, VSX-23TXH, and VSX-21TXH. With such features as ICEPower amplification, Internet streaming, iPhone control, and lots more, Pioneer is looking to entice you to upgrade whether you are ready to or not. With prices ranging from $700 to $2000, there certainly is something for everyone in this new group of offerings from Pioneer. tom 2009-07-03T07:25:00+00:00 First Look http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/furniture/speaker-and-display-mounts/auton-1001-lcd-motorized-projector-lift You've already purchased your front projection system and all your components, and now you're left with a daunting task. How do you mount the projector, without hearing an earful from your significant other; or in this case, in a conference room with a commercial drop-ceiling? Many mounts and stands can be not-so-appealing to the female eye, such as a pole dropping from the ceiling, a stand behind the couch, or a box sitting on the conference room table. You ask yourself: does visual perfection really have to come at such a price? Tim Johnson 2009-07-02T08:28:30+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/acoustics/gik-acoustics-screen-panel GiK Acoustics has been one of the most popular online dealers of room acoustics for their quality products at no-nonsense pricing. They've consistently met and exceeded their customer's needs by providing products that they often didn't even know that they needed. Once again they are doing the same with the introduction of their new Screen Panel. Obviously designed for a studio setting, we think there are more than one Audioholic that would be interested. tom 2009-07-02T06:45:00+00:00 First Look http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/transports/cd-players/marantz-sa-ki-pearl-sacd Marantz's high end offerings have impressed us in the past. The new line gets away from the unique gold styling that so caught our eye for the more traditional black with blue lights that has been adopted by just about everyone. According to Marantz, they have a "silk-black" finish but that may not be enough to have this gear stand out. The SA-KI Pearl SACD Player is a $3,000 unit that can play stereo SACDs, CD, and CD-R/RW and is compatible with CD-DA, MP3, and WMA files. Of course, the unit is completely overbuilt but is it enough to justify the cost? tom 2009-07-01T08:50:00+00:00 First Look http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/satellite/boston-acoustics-soundware-xs In this economy, everyone is looking for a deal. There are also people that are that looking for big sound out of small speakers. While the first is relatively easy to find, the second is pretty much impossible. Boston Acoustics is taking their stab at it with their new SoundWare XS 5.1 Surround Speaker System. Available in black and white, the speaker system is designed to be shelf, wall or corner mounted. At just about a 4" cube, the system should have little problem blending into the background. tom 2009-07-01T08:40:00+00:00 First Look http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/bookshelf/snell-lcr7-xl The LCR7 XLs are one of their premier speakers that feature a design by Snell Chief Engineer Joe D’Appolito memorializing the 30th anniversary of Snell Acoustics. Utilizing a D'Appolito array (or Mid-Tweet-Mid, MTM for short, design) and the renown SEAS XL drivers, the LCR7 XL represent the pinnacle of what you can achieve through components and experience. At $6000 a pair, they certainly seem to be sparing no expense. Performance-wise, they are tops with a fantastically clear high end and nearly limitless power handling. These are speakers you can drive practically until your amp gives out since they seem to have no real upper limit. tom 2009-06-30T07:40:00+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/education/acoustics-principles/listening-room-acoustics-1 Room modes cause standing waves that can cause three acoustical problems: a level boost at some frequencies, an extent of the duration of sound at those same frequencies (resonance) and some profound dips at other frequencies. This article explores methods of reducing the problems of standing waves in your home theater room and also works real world examples for greater clarity. Don’t settle for acoustical compromises. Learn the facts, and arm yourself with the right tools to enhance your movie watching and music listening experiences. Michel Leduc 2009-06-30T00:00:00+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/education/surround-sound/audyssey-dsx-10.2 Audyssey as a company is sort of a brain trust that creates and licenses signal processing solutions. They employ the sciences of psychoacoustics, acoustics, signal processing and use highly complex mathematical algorithms to put those Mega Flop DSP chips to work to do dynamic equalization and derive extra channels for surround sound. Paul Apollonio 2009-06-29T13:26:35+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/news/industry-news/nht-is-back Now Hear This wants you to know it’s coming back to business. The much-loved American speaker manufacturer’s hiatus only lasted a few months – about as short lived as the death of a comic book Superhero before being brought back to life by a miraculous plot-wrinkle. But the comeback for NHT as it relates to its dealers is sure to have a few plot-twists of its own. wayde 2009-06-29T08:35:00+00:00 News http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/lifestyle-desktop-and-portable/altec-lansing-expressionist-plus-fx3021 Marketing drivel aside, the Expressionist PLUS system looks to be a very interesting "add on" speaker system for your next desktop purchase. At only $99, no one is expecting the moon here. The looks alone will sell a lot of systems. Altec Lansing historically has made very decent speaker systems. TheExpressionist PLUS should prove to be no different. tom 2009-06-26T12:25:00+00:00 First Look http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/yamaha-musiccast2 The new MusicCAST2 introduces a completely new MusicCAST system redesigned from the ground up. The system consists of three different products, the MCX-RC100 Network Music Commander remote, the MCX-P200 Pre-amp Network Music Player, and the MCX-A300 Amplified Network Music Player. It gives you access to Rhapsody, Internet radio, or tracks stored on your computer (up to 16 on a network), USB sticks, and Bluetooth devices (with additional BlueTooth receiver). iTunes is supported as well as MP3, WMA (no lossless or PRO), AAC (no Apple lossless or FairPlay DRM), FLAC and WAV audio files. tom 2009-06-26T07:20:00+00:00 First Look http://www.audioholics.com/news/editorials/downloads-vs-discs There seem to be two camps in the AV field in regards to content - downloads or physical media. The download camp says that physical media is quickly becoming a thing of the past. The other side holds their discs up high and scream, "You'll take my disc from my cold dead hands!" So, who will be right? An analysis. tom 2009-06-25T06:10:00+00:00 Editorial http://www.audioholics.com/news/industry-news/elemental-designs-a7-450-update A little bit back Elemental Designs took some time to redesign their A7-450 powered home theater subwoofer. With this redesign they moved forward with the idea of using the power provided by the LT/1300, featuring B&O Ice power module design, and matching it up with a custom hand built 18” driver built right in Iowa. This move, fueled by the desire to advance the platform in a new direction led to a few interesting design changes. clint 2009-06-24T22:39:36+00:00 News http://www.audioholics.com/news/trade-show-coverage/electronic-entertainment-expo-e3-part-2-great-hardware Game consoles come and go every few years, but peripherals are eternal. Yet this mainstay of the video game scene has been challenged by a new category - hardware that is designed for and made to enhance specific games and genres. And nowhere was this more evident than at E3 2009. In part 1 we discussed the games, check out part 2; the hardware. marshal 2009-06-24T13:10:00+00:00 Editorial http://www.audioholics.com/news/industry-news/redbox-threatens-netflix-in-video-rental-iii-rise-of-the-vending-machines Netflix has long been recognized as the top online video-rental business. Despite competition from perennial business-model imitator Blockbuster, the competition continues to be stymied. But wait – one decidedly low-tech business Redbox, is growing at such a rapid pace it poses a serious threat to Netflix. This relatively new competitor has been quietly laying red vending-machine boxes all over America, over 15,000 by its latest count and its growing fast. wayde 2009-06-23T07:35:00+00:00 News http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/subwoofers/jl-audio-f110 The JL Audio Fathom f110 may be small in size, but its not lacking in the performance department. While there are certainly much larger subs from other brands at the same price or less, you will be hard pressed to find all of the performance attributes the f110 has to offer in such a compact box. Not once did I find the f110s output lacking as they were always able to rattle my walls and shake my couches when the source material required it. It’s clear to me that JL Audio is as serious about high fidelity in the home environment as they have been in mobile audio since their inception. Bassaholics rejoice as JL Audio has produced a reference level product that will thump, and thump well, without requiring a refrigerator sized box that you neither have the space nor the accepting wife to accommodate. Gene 2009-06-22T23:16:33+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/paradigm-reference-hybrid-millenia While the marketing literature for the new Paradigm Reference Hybrid Millenia speakers are full of fancy explanations and made up words for "we used AutoCAD," the speakers look to be well designed and certainly are priced right. While some might argue that an in-wall speaker should be invisible, with a speaker with as many styling cues as the Hybrid Millenia, that'd be a shame. And come on, you don't buy "Reference" speakers to hide them in a wall do you? tom 2009-06-22T07:15:00+00:00 First Look http://www.audioholics.com/news/industry-news/axiom-audio-ep800-subwoofer-first-review Hometheater.com.il, an Israeli home theater website has published a review on the Axiom Audio EP800 flagship subwoofer. Penned by Itai Hazum, the review is rather in-depth, and if you can handle the Hebrew-English translation via Google Translate, you can glean some pretty cool info about the new product. clint 2009-06-21T11:20:00+00:00 News http://www.audioholics.com/news/trade-show-coverage/the-electronic-entertainment-expo-part-1-great-games Let me start by confessing that I never liked video games because they taught hand/eye coordination or social skills - I liked playing them because they were fun. So the opportunity to attend E3 at the Los Angeles Convention Center was irresistible. Even more so because the nonsense of trying to turn it into a business event over the last two years was rolled back so that glitz and glamor could once again lead the way. And why not? Times may be tough but games touch on so many genres that there’s sure to be something for everyone. Which explains why the video gaming industry has continued to be so profitable through the years. marshal 2009-06-18T11:00:00+00:00 Editorial http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/cables/gefentv-wireless-hdmi-extender-5-ghz-review GefenTV uses wireless 802.11n to do its thing and operates in the unlicensed 5GHz band to transmit HDTV. For sure the GefenTV isn't for everyone; if your HDTV isn't wall mounted or your A/V components aren't separated away from the display, there's little need to pay this price just to hide the cables. But if you're looking to cut loose without giving up on HD, it sure beats running cables under carpets or along baseboards, or poking holes in walls or ceilings. So while it might be called a "one-trick pony", it's fair to say that the GefenTV does a competent job of delivering high-definition video and multichannel audio through the airwaves. marshal 2009-06-18T10:00:00+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/news/industry-news/sencore-spectracal-calman Sencore, Inc. and SpectraCal, LLC announced a strategic partnership to develop and market a combination of SpectraCal CalMAN video calibration software with Sencore ColorPro calibration features. The new Sencore ColorPro by CalMAN Professional Display Calibration Software (try saying THAT in one breath!) is designed as a comprehensive software measurement and management tool for professional display calibration. clint 2009-06-17T16:05:00+00:00 News http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/architectural/mc-6aw At first I was mainly thinking of the RBH Sound MC-6AW as patio speakers but upon setting them up for some listening tests I discovered “indoor” possibilities as well. They shared many of the sonic virtues of my larger floorstander reference speakers and their performance absolutely bellied their asking price. As I listened, over and over I kept forgetting that these were small indoor/outdoor speakers and kept thinking they sounded better than some speakers I’ve reviewed from more prestigious brands costing several thousands of dollars. The MC-6AW’s can be used in multiple environments. They would be great mounted on the wall next to an on-wall television in either a bedroom or a family room. You could also class up your pool parties by using them on your pool deck or any patio. Just be careful not to make your audiophile friends too envious when they hear such great sound outdoors which ordinarily wouldn’t seem possible. ken 2009-06-16T23:07:38+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/news/industry-news/lg-netflix-hdtv Look ma, no boxes! You won’t you need a set-top-box or computer to stream web-enabled movies to your Home Theater system anymore. The shelf-space and connection conscious mages over at LG have seen to it that you don’t need a box to get streaming content like Netflix into your living room. LG has just introduced two Ethernet-HDTVs with more on the way this summer. wayde 2009-06-16T13:22:45+00:00 News http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/projectors/benq-joybee-gp1-led Projectors have gone through several iterations in the time I've been around. From old, clunky CRT systems to DLP and LCD systems, projectors have gotten brighter, smaller and more feature-rich. But with the introduction of the BenQ Joybee GP1, LED lighting is now taking front projectors where they have never been. With LED lighting, even a DLP projector can be smaller, lighter and more versatile than its UHP or similarly lighted counterparts. The projector is literally smaller than a stack of CDs, smaller than a Mac Mini, and smaller than my outstretched hand. Yet this incredibly tiny projector puts out 100 lumens from its single LED lamp, making it bright enough to light up an 80 inch screen in a darkened room. clint 2009-06-16T08:06:20+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/news/editorials/environmentally-friendly-tvs-its-easy-being-green Earth Day’s over, but if you were a little negligent on your roadside cleanups or incorporating hemp clothing into your wardrobe, there are still things you can do to green up your image – starting in your living room with the energy consumption of your TV. alissa 2009-06-15T06:10:00+00:00 Editorial http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/architectural/aperion-audio-intimus-6-lcr-in-wall-speakers As displays are getting thinner and thinner, consumers are demanding speakers that match. What matches a flat panel hung on a wall better than a few in-wall speakers installed around it? Aperion Audio has heard the call and has introduced a new in-wall speaker dubbed the Intimus 6-LCR. With a 2.5 way MTM design, the 6-LCR is designed for either vertical or horizontal placement making it perfect for either main or center channel duty. tom 2009-06-12T07:05:00+00:00 First Look http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/subwoofers/tSc-t300 Overall the tSc T300 subwoofer has really impressed me. Usually, with an online retailer, a well performing sub is either huge in size or huge in price. The T300 manages to pack a lot of performance in a very small box. For a smaller to perhaps medium sized room, the T300 is too good of a deal to pass up. For larger rooms, you will most likely need to step up to a more powerful subwoofer or consider running two or four of these. tom 2009-06-11T19:05:00+00:00 Pro Review