Recent AV Gadget Reviews

Are you a high tech gear junkie with a pool? Check out Hayward Industries pHin Smart Water Monitor.The pHin checks your pool chemistry 1,000 times a week and send the results to your phone. Read on.

The OREI HDA-939 ($199) is a multi-function AV tool that works as a 4K HDMI Scaler, eARC Audio Extractor, audio/video processor and much more. What CAN'T the OREI HDA-939 do? Read on to find out.

Cambridge Audio’s CXN V2 network audio streamer ($1,099) and flagship EDGE NQ preamp ($5,000) are now Roon Ready, meaning they enjoy the highest level of Roon support and features. Read on.

Looking to play your vinyl through your Sonos system without wires? Victrola has you covered with their $800 Stream Carbon Works with Sonos Turntable. Read on.

TiVo released details on new products at CES 2020. TiVo’s EDGE DVRs are the company’s first offerings to support Dolby Vision 4K HDR video. They can also skip entire commercial breaks automatically.

Blinding glare on your new UHD TV can be frustrating. Check out our review of Crestron automated window treatments to see how these innovative shades can help with your home theater glare.

At $499 the Fluance RT85 turntable is touted to be a great bargain with amazing looks and a platform punching above its price point. Read the full review to find out if this was the case.

Mytek is on track to launch 9 new audiophile products before the end of 2021. The biggest change comes to the company’s streaming DACs, which now run on a new Mytek OS with an integrated Roon Core.

The Sony PSVR virtual headset is an impressive looking device but is it worth adding to the aging Playstation 4? Read on to find out.

Roku’s flagship streaming device, the Roku Ultra ($100) has been updated for 2020. Now with Dolby Vision on board, the Ultra is better equipped to compete with other streamers

The newly minted Optoma-NuForce brand has wasted no time getting new lines of hifi audio products to market. The DAC80 is the result of the company's push into high-end. Read on to see how it sounds.

THX has launched its first consumer product! Onyx is a portable DAC/Amp featuring MQA and THX's AAA amplifier topology in a portable USB-powered package. Read on to see how it compares to Audioquest.

The Apple Watch Sport is a jack of all trades master of none device. The Apple Watch line has great potential but currently requires a software update to reach more of its potential.

The new +Record Player from Plus Audio is incredibly realistic for an all in one record player system. Is it worth the $1,600 price tag? Read our review to find out.

The Line 6 AMPLIFi TT guitar effect processor is a groundbreaking product that allows any musician to connect to their home theater system or take a portable solution to their gigs. Read our review.

If you're looking for high end 'snake oil free' speaker cables, check out Shielded Audio. This family run business prides itself on quality engineered audio cables without the nonsense.

Product Review: The portable Cable Keeper is a functional and stylish cable organization and transportation solution for audio buffs, installers, and electronics junkies. Click to read more.

We reviewed the Arylic Audio compact, affordable streaming pre-amplifiers (S10 & S50Pro) and an A50 amplifier that allow you to re-use existing speakers to transform your whole home audio.

Review: The Emotiva Stealth DC-1 is a two channel preamp, DAC, and headphone amp all in one. The $500 price tag would be worth it for any 2 of those but Emotiva gave you all 3. Highly Recommended!

The Amazon Fire TV Recast is a DVR for over-the-air broadcasts. Starting at $230 will this allow you to finally cut the cord once and for all? Read on to find out.

Review: DVDO Air3 Wireless HDMI Adapter. We ran it through its paces passing 3D HD audio and video. Results? It's not perfect, but is arguable the best wireless HDMI solution we have ever reviewed.

The TiVo Bolt OTA (Over the Air) is a DVR designed to record over-the-air broadcasts. Does it have the features you need to ditch cable? Read on to find out.

Review: The V-MODA BoomPro is a mic upgrade for any headphones with detachable cables that have a standard 3.5mm plug at the headphone. The BoomPro performed well and are recommended.

The Amazon Fire TV Cube is an all-in-one media streamer and voice-activated smart speaker. Can we finally ditch our remote controls and let Alexa handle all of our entertainment needs? Read on.

The Leap Motion Controller is a touch-free motion controller for your Mac or PC. While I really like it, the Leap Motion is more of a curiosity than a necessity. At $80, it might be worth it to you.

Canadian audio company Fluance released 4 new audiophile turntables recently: The RT82, RT83, RT84, and RT85 offer industry-leading build quality and high-end components at reasonable prices. Read on.

This is a review of the Kimber Kable 8TC speaker cables. They measure, look and sound great.

Denon released two new turntables, the DP-450USB and DP-400 at the 2018 CEDIA show. With advanced built-In phono equalizers and integrated sensor for precise speed these turntables might be for you.

It's not often that you get a chance to "pimp" your ride, so when Sony suggested we take a look at their newest ZR Series amplifier and their GTX speakers, we ran out and immediately located a victim.

If you want a complete and cohesive smart home experience, you need a home automation controller to run the show. Control4 has 4 levels of controllers (CA-1, EA-1, EA-3,and EA-5) compared herein.

The new Sony XAV-701HD in-dash A/V receiver has a lot to offer today's tech-savvy customer. With all kinds of smartphone connectivity, it makes this unit an easy choice for those looking to upgrade.

The Monoprice Monolith USB DAC Headphone Amp, Portable Headphone Amp and DAC with THX AAA Technology, and M565C/M1060C Over-Ear Closed-Back Headphones are the newest editions to the Monoprice line.

The V-MODA Faders Tuned Earplugs are designed to protect both your hearing and your listening experience. At $20 a pair, anyone serious about protecting their hearing should have a pair of Faders.

The SVS Soundpath Wireless Audio Adapter offers an uncompromised wireless connection to run a pair of powered surround or mult-zone speakers or a powered subwoofer. Are you ready to cut the cord?

I'm a fan of the Bubble Case for Kindle Fire by HardCandy. At just over two ounces, it doesn't add much to the weight of your device while offering a lot of protection. Overall - recommended.

Looking for a budget friendly microphone for podcasting? We've compiled a list of the top 5 best microphones for under $100 that offer excellent performance for all your recording needs.

IOCell NetDisk SOLO NEWFAST 351UNE, which is enough names for two devices. But a clumsy naming convention is easily forgiven because, as we'll see, the 351UNE makes good on being fast.

Looking for a high end turntable to spin your vinyl? The new № 515 Turntable from Mark Levinson with cooperation from VPI Industries may be your answer. At $10k, it isn't cheap but plays the part.

On a recent visit to an Apple store, Jawbone's JAMBOX caught my eye. Could this little dynamo offer me the sound quality and convenient size I have been looking for to fill my hotel rooms with music?

Introducing the new MHA50 Portable Decoding Amplifier from McIntosh. One of the most coveted names in home audio is doubling down on the headphone market. Is it worth the price? Read on and decide.

Whether its Pandora, Rhapsody, Internet radio, or streaming music from your local Mac or PC, Grace Digital's Micro Bookshelf system seems to pull it off with a nice system that screams retro.

The ALO Continental Dual Mono DAC/Amp has a plethora of features and options for customizability. This headphone amp offers compelling sound and the ability to drive a wide variety of equipment.

Rhino has long been the professional's choice in label creation for quite some time. The new 5200 and 600 label systems offer flexibility and usability for CE professionals and custom A/V installers.

Media streaming is a must have feature for a modern home theater. We look at the Amazon Fire TV Stick and Fire TV to see if they are a better alternative to streaming from your source device or HDTV.

The CE professional is truly targeted by RipDigital's service. If you're doing an AV install and your client has tons of CDs in his or her collection, there's a better solution than to rip each one.

HiFiMAN's new SuperMini DAP sports expandable memory up to 256 GB via micro SD card, 22 hours of playtime, and a MSRP of only $399. This might be the best all around lightweight DAP on the market.

We recently got ahold of one of Pioneer Electronics' flagship GPS receiver, the AVIC-Z120BT and had the chance to take it for a spin in a 2007 Honda Element SC. The results were quite addictive.

The Linear Tube Audio MicroZOTL2.0 is a tube amp with a clear acrylic top and respectable build. For $1,100 this headphone amp is definitely something worth listening to. Read on to find out more.

All we could really say about the Microlab MD332 was "wow". Our first impression remained that single word - at least until we were able to temper our excitement with a bit of down-to-earth evaluation

Featuring a 2.35 inch screen, beautiful aesthetics and hi-fi charm, the Questyle QP1R reinvigorates your audio files by instilling detail, speed and dynamism in its arsenal of sonic prowess.

DISH and Logitech have worked together to bring the Revue GoogleTV to consumers in a way that integrates full DVR control and search along with Internet browsing and apps in a fresh, new way.

Parasound has introduced the ZoneMaster® 4 DAX, the first four-zone DAC with crossovers for the custom installation industry to create high performance multi-zone systems with subwoofer management.

We've been fans and clients of DISH for some time, and have been following their ViP 922 DVR with great interest for nearly two years. When it was finally released, we jumped all over it.

The Schiit Yggdrasil DAC & Ragnarok amp represent Schiit’s finest components. With a thoroughly engineered component system, this pair offer incredible sound without compromise, but at a high price.

We've all had that sinking feeling when we hear the plop of an electrical device hitting the water. The Bheestie company decided to do something about this problem by inventing a bag with little …

Fluance announced two high performance turntables; the RT80($199) and RT81($249). Both feature Audio Technica cartridges and stylus. This may be your best bet for getting into Vinyl on the cheap.