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Recent Home Theater Editorials

Editorials

Denon/Marantz/B&W: Is Masimo Poised to Sell its Audio Brands?

— April 08, 2024 00:00

Denon/Marantz/B&W: Is Masimo Poised to Sell its Audio Brands?

Masimo Consumer to be a spin-off company from Masimo and will include audio brands like Denon, Marantz and B&W.; Is the move forced by investors just sound book-keeping or a signal of future sale?

Editorials

Trump Rolls Back Online Privacy in Regulatory Shell Game

— April 07, 2017 12:00

Trump Rolls Back Online Privacy in Regulatory Shell Game

President Donald Trump just signed a repeal for an FCC privacy regulation designed to protect consumers from Internet providers selling their data. Find out what this means to you the consumer.

Editorials

Denon/Marantz Audyssey MultEQ Editor App Allows Full Customization of Sound

— April 05, 2017 13:05

Denon/Marantz Audyssey MultEQ Editor App Allows Full Customization of Sound

Denon and Marantz have launched a new Audyssey MultEQ Editor app, giving home theater enthusiasts full control to refine and customize the set-up of their systems for even better surround sound.

Editorials

Wikileaks: The CIA is Spying on All Your Electronics ‑ And it's Getting Weird

— March 16, 2017 00:00

Wikileaks: The CIA is Spying on All Your Electronics - And it's Getting Weird

The latest round of Wikileaks is called Year Zero and includes over 8,000 pages of details about how the CIA is spying on just about anything with an Internet connection. Are you being watched?

Editorials

ATSC 3.0: Cord Cutter’s Dream or Tiered Internet Nightmare?

— March 10, 2017 00:00

ATSC 3.0: Cord Cutter’s Dream or Tiered Internet Nightmare?

The FCC has approved the deployment of an innovation in digital broadcast television that could change everything you thought you knew about network TV and wireless. Get the facts about ATSC 3.0 here.

Editorials

Is Your TV Watching You? Vizio Busted for Spying on Customers

— February 12, 2017 18:00

Is Your TV Watching You? Vizio Busted for Spying on Customers

On Feb 6th, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that Vizio must pay out a settlement of $2.2 million for selling data collected on some 11-million consumers using the company’s smart TVs.

Editorials

Super Bowl LI: Fox Sports Wins With a Cord Cutting Touchdown!

— February 04, 2017 22:45

Super Bowl LI: Fox Sports Wins With a Cord Cutting Touchdown!

Internet streaming is the preferred way of watching Super Bowl LI for those eschewed by outrageous monthly cable bills and haven’t bothered to hoist an antenna onto our roofs. We discuss how.

Editorials

The Death of 3D TV

— January 29, 2017 08:00

The Death of 3D TV

The last 3D TV manufacturers, LG and Sony, have disclosed that they will end production on 3D sets for 2018. The demise of 3D was a long but steady ride downward.

Editorials

Beam Me Up, Scotty! Acoustic Tractor Beam Now a DIY Project

— January 23, 2017 12:00

Beam Me Up, Scotty! Acoustic Tractor Beam Now a DIY Project

Acoustic tractor beam technology is so last year. Sure, thanks to a series of coordinated breakthroughs by an international team of physicists from the UK and US tractor beams now exist!

Editorials

Norway Kills The FM Radio Star – Could It Happen Here?

— January 12, 2017 19:00

Norway Kills The FM Radio Star – Could It Happen Here?

Norway became the first country to begin a campaign of shutting down FM radio signals this week. The nation’s “Radio Digitization” program began on 1/11 at 11:11 am. Will other countries do similar?

Editorials

Goodbye 2016: Lemmy to George Michael ‑ The Year the Music Died

— December 31, 2016 10:00

Goodbye 2016: Lemmy to George Michael - The Year the Music Died

I know it’s ridiculous to blame the arbitrary goal posts in time we call a year for the loss of many beloved celebrities in 2016. And I’m certain our perception of 2016 as the grim reaper is skewed.

Editorials

Razer Buys THX: What This Could Mean for Your Future Man Cave

— October 20, 2016 09:00

Razer Buys THX: What This Could Mean for Your Future Man Cave

On Monday it was announced that Razer, a computer gaming hardware manufacturer, had acquired an ownership share of THX Ltd. Will the merger signify a step forward in Virtual Reality? Read on.

Editorials

Interview Cary Christie of Artison Audio

— August 11, 2016 00:00

Interview Cary Christie of Artison Audio

We sit down with Cary Christie, co-founder of Infinity Loudspeakers, to discuss his vision of sound excellence with Artison. Their products are custom designed to integrate into the room for high WAF.

Editorials

CBS/Paramount Sets Phasers to Kill on Star Trek Fan‑Fiction with New Guidelines

— June 29, 2016 19:00

CBS/Paramount Sets Phasers to Kill on Star Trek Fan-Fiction with New Guidelines

The Star Trek fan-fiction controversy that resulted in legal battles between CBS/Paramount and Axanar Productions may have concluded last week. CBS/Paramount have finally put forth its guidelines.

Editorials

Literary Transgressions of the Audio Community

— June 20, 2016 00:00

Literary Transgressions of the Audio Community

It’s hard to come up with “new stuff” to say about audio and video. In this article we take you through the most common overused audio terms and clichés. Be sure to share your favorites with us.

Editorials

CBS/Paramount are Copyright Trolls ‑ Beyond Bored of Star Trek Reboot

— May 18, 2016 20:00

CBS/Paramount are Copyright Trolls - Beyond Bored of Star Trek Reboot

Paramount is a Copyright Troll and I’m Beyond Bored of This Star Trek Reboot. See how Axanar Productions is slugging it out with them to produce its own fanfiction along with the legal ramifications.

Editorials

Yamaha AVENTAGE AV Receiver DTS:X Firmware Listening Test Results

— April 12, 2016 08:00

Yamaha AVENTAGE AV Receiver DTS:X Firmware Listening Test Results

After upgrading my home theater to UHD/4k, it was time to update the firmware of my Yamaha RX-A2050 AV receiver to enable DTS:X and HDMI 2.0a (for HDR). We include listening tests of DTS:X upmixer.

Editorials

Exciting New AV Gear Debuts at CES 2017 Revolutionizes Home Audio

— April 01, 2016 00:00

Exciting New AV Gear Debuts at CES 2017 Revolutionizes Home Audio

We have an advanced scoop on new custom AV products debuting at CES 2017 including revolutionary new speakers and other products that are sure to revolutionize the home theater experience!

Editorials

Listening Evaluation of DTS:X on the Denon AVR‑X7200WA Receiver

— February 12, 2016 00:00

Listening Evaluation of DTS:X on the Denon AVR-X7200WA Receiver

Denon X7200WA becomes the first AVR to get DTS:X. Downloading the free firmware installs DTS:X; DTS Neural:X, which coverts legacy content to 3D audio, & interactive dialogue control for 11.2 channels

Editorials

Circuit City How the Once Mighty Have Fallen... and Returned

— February 08, 2016 16:00

Circuit City How the Once Mighty Have Fallen... and Returned

Circuit City. Once the largest consumer electronics retailer in America, has announced that it will begin opening new retail outlets and an online store in June 2016. But, will they succeed this time?

Editorials

Potential Audioquest Rigged HDMI Demo Exposed

— February 01, 2016 21:00

Potential Audioquest Rigged HDMI Demo Exposed

Audiophile drama is unfolding as an Audioquest HDMI cable demo, featuring an Audioquest employee showing unrealistic changes in sound, was seemingly debunked as fraudulent by Mark Waldrep, Dr. AIX.

Editorials

Headphone Fashion Guide: Does Style Trump Sound Quality?

— January 29, 2016 09:00

Headphone Fashion Guide: Does Style Trump Sound Quality?

Today, headphone fashion is infinitely more complex. Frank Zappa once said: “No change in music style will survive unless it is accompanied by a change in clothing style.” His words were prophetic.

Editorials

CEDIA 2015 DTS‑X and Dolby Atmos Demos Updated

— December 17, 2015 08:00

CEDIA 2015 DTS-X and Dolby Atmos Demos Updated

We were pleased with the immersive surround demos by MartinLogan, Paradigm, RBH Sound, JBL and others at CEDIA 2015. We heard the very first DTS:X demos and discuss them in our YouTube video report.

Editorials

Apple Wages War on 3.5‑mm Jack, Promotes Economy Through Planned Obsolescence

— December 10, 2015 05:00

Apple Wages War on 3.5-mm Jack, Promotes Economy Through Planned Obsolescence

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

Editorials

Is Vintage Better than Modern for Audio Equipment?

— December 03, 2015 01:00

Is Vintage Better than Modern for Audio Equipment?

Are the glowing memories of vintage audio gear and automobiles justified? Read this comparison to see how vintage vs modern pans out and if you should keep your old gear or embrace the modern era.

Editorials

What Makes the Biggest Audible Differences in Home Theater?

— November 06, 2015 00:00

What Makes the Biggest Audible Differences in Home Theater?

While some focus on minutiae to “improve” the fidelity of their Hi-Fi system, we focus on the three areas that matter most, the quality of the source, room acoustics and speakers. Read on to see why.

Editorials

Tidal: The Worst Music Service Online — Except for All the Others

— November 05, 2015 00:00

Tidal: The Worst Music Service Online — Except for All the Others

Tidal has earned notoriety as a new online music business since it arrived last spring. But, it’s making headlines for everything but the high quality music it can stream.

Editorials

Art vs Science of Audio Reproduction: Which Team Are You In?

— October 07, 2015 11:00

Art vs Science of Audio Reproduction: Which Team Are You In?

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. In order to have a Zen line balance in audio, you must embrace both sides.

Editorials

Brick and Mortar AV Retail vs Internet Direct: Which is Right for You?

— September 02, 2015 17:00

Brick and Mortar AV Retail vs Internet Direct: Which is Right for You?

Retail or Internet? Are you having a tough time deciding which is best avenue for you to purchase your AV home theater gear? We discuss the pros and cons of each along with entertaining anecdotes.