Recent Home Theater Editorials

It's safe to assume that Audioholics readers are the kinds of people who choose headphones, or any audio equipment, on the merits of sound quality first. But headphones are one of the oldest wearable technologies that have become highly mobile in recent years, so it makes sense they have also morphed into one of the fastest growing fashion trends in recent years. Although our primary requirement from a pair of headphones is sound quality, these days is it even possible to totally avoid headphone fashion trends?

One of the highlights of the CEDIA show are the demos. There was no shortage this year of Atmos demos and the ones we've heard have been pretty spectacular. We were also pleased to hear the very first DTS:X demos from JBL Sythesis and Denon. Immersive Audio was abound at the show and it came in many forms via discrete box speakers all around, in-walls, in-ceiling and the less impressive Atmos reflection speakers. In case you missed it, our demo show report includes our experiences with MartinLogan, Paradigm, RBH Sound, and JBL. Also check out our recently added Goldenear, Triad and Auro 3D demo experiences and our YouTube video discussion of new products and various DTS:X demos.

Apple iPhone 6S and 6S Plus users are complaining about their phones 3.5-mm headphone jacks failing. Meanwhile speculation is circulating that Apple may do away with the standard connector altogether in future iterations of the iPhone, starting with iPhone 7. Where does that leave all those people who spent a little extra to upgrade their headphones? How thin do our phones really need to be when we wrap them in thick protective cases anyways?

Are the glowing memories of vintage audio gear and vintage automobiles justified, or were they just mediocre machines whose performance has somehow "improved" over the decades? Read this old-timer's assessment of both vintage muscle cars and vintage audio, based upon hands-on experience with both. Let us know in our forum if your still running vintage gear or if you ditched it to embrace the new.

While some focus on minutiae to “improve” the fidelity of their home theater or Hi-Fi playback system with esoteric tweaks and snake oil exotic cables, we instead suggest focusing on the big three that matter most; the quality of the source, the room acoustics, and the speakers. If you don’t get those three things right, you're just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. Read this article to get the facts.

Tidal has earned notoriety as a new online music business since it arrived last spring. But, unfortunately, it’s making headlines for everything but its CD-quality music stream. Sadly, a Tidal Hi-Fi subscription is your only option (known today) in North America for an all-you-can-hear online music service that provides greater than 320Kbps. It’s nothing less than a crime that CD audio resolution is what the music industry now refers to as Hi-Fi, and that it’s so rare.

In this latest YouTube video, Hugo and I discuss the art and science of audio as well as which is the right way to approach. If you think measurements don't matter or everything can be equated down to a neat little formula to determine product superiority , then I'm sorry to say you are sorely mistaken. In order to have a Zen line balance in audio and in life in general, you must embrace all aspects of the art and science of sound. Let us know your thoughts in our forum after watching our YouTube video and reading this article.

Retail or Internet? Are you having a tough time deciding which is best for you? Both avenues for buying audio/video gear can be great experiences, and each has its distinct advantages (and disadvantages.) A veteran of the Retail Wars gives you his perspective, rife with confessions, anecdotes, tips, and observations. Do your homework by researching online and seeking out a reputable dealer or manufacturer that can guide you on making the best purchasing decisions to build the ultimate two-channel or home theater system.

Lately it seems the new craze is MORE is better. We are seeing this with inflated power ratings in AV receivers, and also with the "necessity" of adding more speakers to the home theater to achieve immersive 3D surround sound. How can the manufacturers and their tech partners like Dolby and DTS figure out a way to add more speakers when the current technology becomes yesterday's news? We have the solution. Read on to find out what the next generation of surround sound speaker technology may look like.

How does Occupational Health and Consumer Electronics go together? Read the following editorial to find out that when these two markets combine, the most innovative and coolest products are born. The union of these two areas of life allow communication with the outside world. For those audiophiles that are home bound, this might help relieve the separation anxiety and social isolation from technology and family. The products in this article might be the answer to your call!

A talking point of a YouTube Video we did last year covering loudspeaker myths put in question whether the research loudspeaker companies claim to do actually trickles into their products. A subscriber pondered this question about Harman, claiming their consumer products are often "decidedly average" despite all of the incredible research they produce. I gave this statement some thought and responded on our channel but also elaborated further in this editorial. While products come and go, knowledge is forever. On that point alone, Harman should be commended for their research regardless of what one thinks about a particular product they produce at the moment or if their research always benefits their products.

What do you get when you combine five Revel Salon2 speakers, audio equipment from Benchmark Audio and Oppo and music from AIX records? A state of the art multi-channel surround experience that will satisfy even the most critical audiophile. AIX Records put on quite the demo at AXPONA 2015 that even diehard two-channel audiophiles had to take pause for a listen. Check out what we thought about this demo experience.

Audiophiles from all eras are not only interested in enjoying the best sound experience via a surround system but on a personal level as well. Many types of headphones have been developed over the years starting from the early first hand made earpiece headphones by Nathaniel Baldwin all the way to the latest in surround sound and wireless technologies. But as technology evolved, so did our listening habits; making it easier and more convenient than ever to get your hi-fi fix on. But, are we listening at safe levels or are we doing some serious damage to our hearing in the long term?

It's been a little over a year since I wrote my article the Dolby Atmos Home Theater Paradox. In it, I discussed the struggle it would be to require consumers to add more speakers into their home theater systems in a market that is demanding less. Dolby introduced an Atmos-enabled speaker solution in hopes of addressing this very issue. Rather than promoting it as a last resort option, they touted it as a "preferred" solution over discrete speakers. Both Dolby and most of the press hailed them as "the greatest breakthrough in audio in 20 years". One year later, I can count on one hand the number of manufacturers making this speaker and the sales figures aren't too flattering. Will the Atmos-enabled speaker really impact the industry or will it sink into the abyss like 3D HDTV? Let's take a look at the year of Atmos to reflect on this question.