A/V Product Reviews

Control4 has released its first new remote control product since the acquisition of the Swiss home automation company Neeo earlier this year. The elegant Neeo Remote for Control4 ($600) is designed to be sophisticated enough for the power user but intuitive enough for the whole family to use. The remote features a machined aluminum body and a high-res touchscreen that unlocks the full potential of Control4’s Smart Home OS 3 platform. Read on to learn more.

Yamaha launched a new series of premium two-channel audio components called the 5000 Series. Designed to be paired with the company’s NS-5000 speakers ($15,000/pair), the new GT-5000 turntable ($8,000), C-5000 preamplifier ($10,000), and M-5000 power amplifier ($10,000) make a bold statement about Yamaha’s commitment to high-end audio. The electronics feature patented circuit designs that are “floated” from the ground in order to eliminate noise. Read on to learn more.

Focal's 300 series architectural speakers are designed from the ground up for music or cinema aficionados. Each speaker in the 300 series sports a true, tool-less design with the company's patented EQI (Easy Quick Install) system. The EQI system is a blessing for installers and DIYers alike. Featuring a Flax cone and Focal's signature inverted dome tweeter, the Focal 300 Series delivers reference performance for aesthetically demanding spaces. We took the Focals for a spin in a complete 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos and DTS:X configuration. Our take? Focal's 300 series proves you don't have to sacrifice performance for aesthetics.

Fluance has been making quality turntables for over 20 years, so it was with great enthusiasm that they sent out the RT85 turntable for review. This good-looking turntable had my expectation high for their new and attractive mid-level turntable. 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.

New speakers from Revel and JBL stole the spotlight at the 2019 CEDIA Expo. Revel added three models to its Performa Beryllium range, including a large flagship tower with an all-new beryllium tweeter. Meanwhile, JBL announced a completely new line of speakers called the HDI Series, featuring stylish curved cabinets and a new compression driver based on JBL’s professional gear. Read on to learn more and be sure to watch our detailed YouTube overview video.

Audioholics was on hand at Denver, Colorado's CEDIA 2019. In this video, Gene visits the Savant booth where the company unveiled a new product that lives at the intersection of high-performance home audio and digital home connectivity, designed for those who may not have thought much about complete home automation before. The Smart Audio soundbar may be loaded with network-connected features by Savant, but it also brings a true hi-fi pedigree with speaker designs by Cary Christie of Artison.

MartinLogan, famous for their curved panel electrostatic speakers, has recently revamped their Motion line of loudspeakers that use a more traditional enclosure. While the cabinet may be more conventional than their higher-tiered loudspeakers, the Motion speakers are still not without design distinctions that set them apart from other speakers in the same class. In for review today, we have the Motion 35XTi, the larger bookshelf speaker within the Motion series featuring a 6.5" woofer and AMT tweeter. Read our in-depth review to see what MartinLogan does to retain their signature electrostatic sound within a box-enclosure loudspeaker.

Monoprice has announced some new products that expand their Monolith THX speaker and subwoofer lines, and they look to be absolute beasts for the home theater market. Monoprice is launching their M-215 subwoofer with a 2kW amplifier and two high-excursion 15" drivers. Those who can handle these bruisers will be in home theater nirvana. Read our preview to see what monsters that the mad scientists at Monoprice have been cooking up in their laboratory. Be sure to watch our Youtube video for a surprise at the end ;)

MartinLogan has proved that you can get “flagship-class performance” from in-wall and in-ceiling speakers. The new Masterpiece CI Series speakers put on an incredible show at the 2019 CEDIA Expo. The star of the show was the flagship Statement 40XW line-source in-wall speaker ($20,000 each), which uses 40 drivers in a line array to deliver unfettered dynamics and realism. All five speakers in the Masterpiece CI Series use Folded Motion XT Obsidian tweeters and new unidirectional carbon fiber cone drivers. Read on to learn more and watch our YouTube Interview.

LG rocked the 2019 CEDIA Expo with a wide range of cool gear, including a transparent OLED display and the world’s first 8K OLED TV. The $30,000 LG Signature OLED88Z9 is now available, along with a 75-inch 8K NanoCell LED TV for $5,000. Also on display were premium sound bars co-developed with Meridian, and a new, more affordable 4K projector. Read on to learn more.

RBH Sound is on the move with three new products to further refine the affordable audiophile performance the brand is known for. The SI-831R is a new in-wall LCR speaker design that fits behind an acoustically transparent screen and features their new AMT driver borrowed from their SVTR flagship tower. A new 12" dual-driver subwoofer model# S-1212 only costs $999 (passive version) with some interesting plans for a powered version. RBH's PM-8 is their first-ever powered studio monitor, with a fully active network and DSP processing. Read on and be sure to watch our YouTube interview to learn more.

GoldenEar Technology announced their new ultra-high-performance compact bookshelf/stand-mount loudspeaker, the BRX, at the 2019 CEDIA EXPO. The goal of BRX was to create a gorgeous, luxuriously finished, ultra-compact loudspeaker which would incorporate the latest advanced technology developed for GoldenEar’s flagship tower speakers. Read on to see what makes this compact speaker so special and at $699/ea, quite affordable.

MartinLogan’s updated Motion Series loudspeakers sport a fresh new design while leaving the “proven performance” of the previous generation largely unchanged. There are three floor-standers, two stand-mount speakers, and two center channel speakers in the range, all featuring MartinLogan’s Folded Motion (AMT) tweeters and custom aluminum cone woofers. With prices ranging from $800/pair to $3,200/pair, will these redesigned speakers be the more affordable jewel in MartinLogan’s crown? Read on and be sure to watch our CEDIA 2019 Youtube video interview to learn more.

AudioControl has announced a pair of high-end preamp/processors and a trio of new A/V receivers at the 2019 CEDIA Expo. The Maestro Series processors and Concert Series AVRs now support Auro 3D, and feature flexible bass management capabilities and up to 16CH of processing. AudioControl calls these new products “the next generation of ultimate performance.” Read on and be sure to watch our YouTube interview with company owner Chris Kane to learn more about these product.