A/V Product Reviews

On the heels of unveiling their A/V Processors and A/V Receivers audio company Anthem released three new multi-ch power amplifiers starting at $2k that are sure to be on all the immersive audio enthusiasts wish lists to kick off the New Year. The MCA 225, 325, and 525 are designed to compliment the new AVM 70 and AVM 90 A/V Processors from Anthem. Anthem is claiming impressively low noise specs and up to a whopping 600 watts of power/ch to make your speakers come alive. Read on to find out more.

KEF has updated the modern classic LS50 loudspeaker with a groundbreaking innovation called “Metamaterial Absorption Technology.” Featured in both the passive LS50 Meta ($1,500/pair) and the active LS50 Wireless II ($2,500/pair), Metamaterial Absorption Technology uses a complex acoustical device located behind the drivers to absorb 99% of the sound created by the tweeter’s rearward motion, which would normally enter the speaker cabinet and cause distortion. Read on to learn more about this unique innovation.

We'll give you our opinion on what speaker cables to buy here on Audioholics and what to look out for as snake oil. For a snake oil free cable company, check out Shielded Audio. This family owned and operated company has designed high quality instrument, power, RCA, XLR, and of course, speaker cables. Read on to see what we think of them.

Elac’s Andrew Jones has completely redesigned the company’s Uni-Fi range of 3-way loudspeakers. The Uni-Fi 2.0 series is now the brand’s least expensive to offer Jones’s signature concentric drivers, where the tweeter sits inside the midrange driver. The Uni-Fi 2.0 lineup includes the UB52 bookshelf speaker ($600/pair), the UF52 floor-standers ($1,200/pair), and the UC52 center-channel speaker ($400/each). Read on to learn more.

The new Rocksteady Stadium is an affordable Bluetooth 5.0 speaker system with an interesting hook. The idea at the heart of this system is deceptively simple, one speaker all by itself creates a solid rendition of what you'd expect from a small portable Bluetooth speaker. But when you wirelessly connect two or more in a custom wireless sound network and the design really shines as it brings a stereophonic soundstage that exceeds the speaker's diminutive stature. You’ll wonder why all Bluetooth speakers aren’t designed this way! Stereo imaging from compact speakers that you can place almost anywhere is a hook you won't soon get out of your head.

JBL’s newest high-end loudspeaker is the 4349 Studio Monitor ($7,500/pair). The 4349 combines the company’s lauded, horn-loaded D2415K compression driver with a 12-inch woofer to deliver “a triumph for accurate sound reproduction.” Despite the “Studio Monitor” moniker, the 4349 is intended for both audio professionals and home listeners. Read on to learn more.

Our review last year of the Revel PerformaBE M126Be bookshelf speakers impressed us so much that we wanted to check out a pair of towers and center channel in the same lineup. The PerformaBe F226Be is a three-way floor-standing speaker, and the C426Be, a monsterous three-way center speaker uses four 6.5" bass drivers and the same mid/tweet array. Our exhaustive review explores if these products live up to the Revel reputation and our comprehensive measurements and listening tests will help determine that.

If you're under the guise that true audiophile speakers have to be free standing or wall mounted, we bring you the Focal ICW series of architectural speakers. Last year Audioholics reviewed the 300 IW6 LCRs and found them to be a truly amazing. Now we'll be looking at integrating the 300ICW4, 300ICW6, and the 100ICW5 in-ceiling speakers into the new Audioholics Smarthome project. Be sure to check out our YouTube Overview video on these fantastic speakers.

RBH Sound, well known for their home audio loudspeakers, has decided to dip their toes in the pro-audio market with the PM-8 two-way active studio monitors, but perhaps 'dip their toes' doesn't do justice to the magnitude of these massive speakers. Each PM-8 tips the scale at 43lbs and houses 400 watts of amplification with a heavy-duty 8" woofer and a high-end AMT tweeter along with sophisticated DSP for optimal driver integration and performance. While these are clearly NOT timid stab at pro-audio applications, we wondered if they could be also used as hi-fi speakers for home audio? Read our in-depth review to find out.

Anthem released information on their newest upgradeable Atmos/DTS:X Imax Enhanced AV processors and receivers. The AVM Series of AV processors include the AVM70, a 15.2 channel pre/pro and the AVM90, a 15.4 channel pre/pro. The new MRX receivers include three new models ranging from 5 to 11 channels of amplification with preamplifiers built to handle substantially more processing channels. Anthem did a LOT right with these new products from a technical standpoint, read on to how see how.

ADAM Audio has long been known as pioneers in bringing AMT drivers to pro-audio loudspeaker design. They have traditionally occupied a somewhat higher price-point than major monitor brands, but that has changed recently with their T series monitors which use the same design principles in a more affordable package. The ADAM Audio T7V's are near-field monitors that use ADAM Audio's AMT tweeters in a sophisticated waveguide along with class-D amplification in an unusually attractive cabinet that looks a lot nicer than it needs to for studio purposes. Can a monitor this sleek-looking also be used for home audio? Read our in-depth review to find out!

If you’re looking for whole-home audio, but you already love the existing speakers you already own, you might want to check out the new streaming options from Arylic Audio. We’ll look at three of their offerings including a compact preamp (S10 and S50Pro) and A50 power amplifier to help turn the products you already own into a whole-home audio system capable of streaming your favorite music sources.

If you're looking for 8K upscaling and pass-through out of your preamplifier you're pretty much out of luck - Until today! Marantz announced the release of an 8K surround AV pre-amplifier, the AV7706. This preamplifier features 11.2 channels of XLR and RCA pre-outs and the latest immersive surround codecs as well as HEOS music management system. Read on to see how this improves over this model's predecessor.

We recently broke the news on Denon's 110th Anniversary Edition AVR-A110 8K AV Receiver which retails for $5,499. Now Denon has released information on three other 110th Anniversary Edition components; the PMA-A110 Integrated Amplifier ($3,499), DCD-A110 SACD Player ($2,999), and DL-A110 Phono Cartridge ($599). Will they be "Balls to the Wall" like the AVR-A110 receiver? Check out our preview to find out.